51109 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
12903
51109
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 34%
vs62 · Top 36%
Growth
47 · Bottom 45%
vs35 · Bottom 25%
Climate
56 · Bottom 7%
vs56 · Bottom 7%
Physical resilience
54 · Bottom 46%
vs69 · Top 38%
Housing affordability
83 · Top 45%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
90 · Bottom 41%
vs94 · Top 47%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 44%
vs58 · Bottom 48%
Measured values
| Metric | 12903 | 51109 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,824 | 3,606 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $77,733 | $79,034 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $56,487 | $37,934 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 430/sq mi | 205/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $210,400 | $130,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,642 | $627 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.3% | 87.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.6% | 3.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.3% | 16.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 81 | 109 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.1 | 1.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 20.9% | -35.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 10°F | 10°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 30.9" | 29.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 0 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.6 min | 17.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 50.3 | 39.4 | 2024 ACS 5-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
12903
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
51109
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, cold wave.
Full profiles: 12903 — Plattsburgh, NY · 51109 — Sioux City, IA · How this is calculated: methodology