05403 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
05403
05452
Opportunity
66 · Top 28%
vs61 · Top 36%
Growth
32 · Bottom 19%
vs22 · Bottom 9%
Climate
58 · Bottom 9%
vs58 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
93 · Top 7%
vs93 · Top 7%
Housing affordability
81 · Top 48%
vs85 · Top 42%
Access
84 · Bottom 27%
vs83 · Bottom 25%
Economic stability
82 · Top 8%
vs83 · Top 7%
Measured values
| Metric | 05403 | 05452 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,614 | 22,626 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $105,616 | $101,349 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $59,614 | $52,151 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,261/sq mi | 561/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $442,400 | $432,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,787 | $1,553 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.4% | 67.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.2% | 2.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.2% | -3.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 67.3% | 55.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.3% | 7.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 27 | 10 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.3 | 0.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -71.6% | -85.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 13°F | 13°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.5" | 37.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.5 min | 22.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.1 | 41.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.57 | 12.29 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 46.4% | 50.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 58.4% | 58.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 29.0% | 27.6% | 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
05403
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
05452
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
Full profiles: 05403 — South Burlington, VT · 05452 — Essex Junction, VT · How this is calculated: methodology