08901 and 85281 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
08901
85281
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 34%
vs34 · Bottom 12%
Growth
53 · Top 45%
vs55 · Top 43%
Climate
63 · Bottom 31%
vs59 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
45 · Bottom 35%
vs47 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
42 · Bottom 7%
vs43 · Bottom 7%
Access
92 · Bottom 49%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
44 · Bottom 24%
vs46 · Bottom 27%
Measured values
| Metric | 08901 | 85281 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,263 | 72,762 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,810 | $64,538 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,133 | $34,117 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 9,137/sq mi | 5,468/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $353,800 | $381,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,814 | $1,677 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 21.4% | 23.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.6% | -3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.5% | 50.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 32.0% | 24.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 55 | 1,240 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 6.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 41.0% | 10.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 107°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.5" | 7.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 22.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 24.4 | 25.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 10.86 | 19.37 | 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
08901
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, earthquake.
85281
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: 08901 — New Brunswick, NJ · 85281 — Tempe, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology