Signals
01603
23294
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 41%
vs48 · Bottom 35%
Climate
61 · Bottom 18%
vs75 · Top 29%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 16%
vs85 · Top 16%
Housing affordability
62 · Bottom 25%
vs54 · Bottom 16%
Schools
24 · Bottom 16%
vs27 · Bottom 20%
Access
79 · Bottom 20%
vs94 · Top 47%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 42%
vs64 · Top 41%
Measured values
| Metric | 01603 | 23294 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,868 | 20,216 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,049 | $64,164 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,873 | $36,771 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,608/sq mi | 4,765/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $331,300 | $294,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,372 | $1,625 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 49.5% | 35.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.1% | 36.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.8% | 14.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 80°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.3" | 45.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 42 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.7 min | 21.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 32.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.43 | 17.63 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 13.4% | 36.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 23.5% | 51.5% | 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.
Massachusetts and Virginia do not give the same test. Each state writes its own assessment and sets its own passing score, so the two proficiency rows above are not directly comparable — the difference between them partly measures which standard is harder. Students per teacher and the school count are unaffected, and each profile ranks its own proficiency within its own state.
Physical risk tradeoff
01603
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
23294
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 01603 — Worcester, MA · 23294 — Laurel, VA · How this is calculated: methodology