71104 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
17104
71104
Opportunity
38 · Bottom 18%
vs41 · Bottom 22%
Growth
38 · Bottom 31%
vs40 · Bottom 34%
Climate
70 · Top 49%
vs70 · Bottom 48%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 39%
vs67 · Top 39%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 43%
vs88 · Top 37%
Access
98 · Top 21%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 17%
vs49 · Bottom 31%
Measured values
| Metric | 17104 | 71104 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,541 | 12,975 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $46,510 | $56,833 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $23,288 | $37,373 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,525/sq mi | 3,310/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $104,800 | $164,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $963 | $1,106 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 45.6% | 45.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.0% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.7% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.1% | 33.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 29.6% | 15.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 9 | 293 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 80.0% | 72.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 95°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 39°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.0" | 48.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.4 min | 18.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.6 | 33.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.42 | 17.88 | 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
17104
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
71104
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hail, drought.
Full profiles: 17104 — Harrisburg, PA · 71104 — Shreveport, LA · How this is calculated: methodology