15857 and 18603 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
15857
18603
Opportunity
57 · Top 44%
vs48 · Bottom 36%
Growth
41 · Bottom 35%
vs40 · Bottom 33%
Climate
60 · Bottom 14%
vs63 · Bottom 30%
Physical resilience
45 · Bottom 35%
vs57 · Bottom 48%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
61 · Top 37%
vs70 · Top 27%
Access
43 · Bottom 2%
vs60 · Bottom 7%
Economic stability
60 · Top 50%
vs44 · Bottom 24%
Measured values
| Metric | 15857 | 18603 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,736 | 18,827 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,662 | $60,352 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,095 | $33,105 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 127/sq mi | 353/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $150,100 | $170,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $762 | $810 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.9% | 71.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.7% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.5% | 22.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.7% | 13.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 14 | 5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 0.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 55.6% | 66.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.9" | 38.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 94 mi | 67 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 15.2 min | 24.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 50.9 | 45.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.37 | 13.10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 32.7% | 34.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.9% | 57.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 98.4% | 96.5% | 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
15857
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
18603
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: 15857 — St. Marys, PA · 18603 — Berwick, PA · How this is calculated: methodology