01420 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
01550
01420
Opportunity
37 · Bottom 16%
vs44 · Bottom 28%
Growth
29 · Bottom 16%
vs28 · Bottom 15%
Climate
61 · Bottom 18%
vs60 · Bottom 14%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 16%
vs85 · Top 16%
Housing affordability
73 · Bottom 39%
vs77 · Bottom 45%
Schools
20 · Bottom 10%
vs31 · Bottom 24%
Access
83 · Bottom 26%
vs86 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 46%
vs55 · Bottom 41%
Measured values
| Metric | 01550 | 01420 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,928 | 41,839 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,287 | $72,780 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,249 | $37,232 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 886/sq mi | 1,392/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $294,800 | $335,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,256 | $1,222 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 42.7% | 54.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.4% | 25.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.3% | 15.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 5 | 12 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -54.5% | -58.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.3" | 43.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 34 mi | 31 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.7 min | 28.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.9 | 36.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.50 | 11.95 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 7.0% | 12.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 15.5% | 29.2% | 2019-20 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
01550
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
01420
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 01550 — Southbridge Town, MA · 01420 — Fitchburg, MA · How this is calculated: methodology