04083 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
04083
38826
Opportunity
68 · Top 23%
vs60 · Top 39%
Growth
47 · Bottom 44%
vs44 · Bottom 39%
Climate
60 · Bottom 14%
vs71 · Top 45%
Physical resilience
77 · Top 27%
vs65 · Top 43%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 35%
vs96 · Top 18%
Access
70 · Bottom 12%
vs66 · Bottom 9%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 42%
vs58 · Bottom 48%
Measured values
| Metric | 04083 | 38826 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 4,833 | 5,894 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,207 | $75,862 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,846 | $43,630 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 481/sq mi | 192/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $272,000 | $253,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,154 | $1,102 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.6% | 71.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.8% | 37.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.6% | 10.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 63 | 99 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.8 | 2.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -44.2% | -3.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.2" | 57.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 48 mi | 61 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.8 min | 22.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.0 | 34.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 1 | 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
04083
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hurricane, coastal flooding.
38826
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, tornado.
Full profiles: 04083 — Sanford, ME · 38826 — Tupelo, MS · How this is calculated: methodology