02831 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
01077
02831
Opportunity
67 · Top 26%
vs64 · Top 32%
Growth
41 · Bottom 36%
vs41 · Bottom 36%
Climate
60 · Bottom 14%
vs65 · Bottom 34%
Physical resilience
60 · Top 48%
vs73 · Top 32%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 17%
vs96 · Top 19%
Access
100 · Top 4%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
76 · Top 18%
vs87 · Top 3%
Measured values
| Metric | 01077 | 02831 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 9,217 | 3,483 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $120,462 | $137,181 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $51,954 | $67,199 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 299/sq mi | 324/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $397,500 | $462,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,332 | $1,705 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 83.4% | 95.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -2.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.1% | 30.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.0% | 5.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 39 | 54 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 0.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -2.5% | 3.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.2" | 47.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.2 min | 30.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 46.8 | 41.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 1 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.16 | 10.19 | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
01077
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
02831
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 01077 — Westfield, MA · 02831 — Cranston, RI · How this is calculated: methodology