17512 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
17512
64056
Opportunity
74 · Top 15%
vs67 · Top 25%
Growth
33 · Bottom 23%
vs26 · Bottom 12%
Climate
64 · Bottom 34%
vs72 · Top 43%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 46%
vs72 · Top 34%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 33%
vs88 · Top 37%
Access
93 · Top 49%
vs87 · Bottom 33%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 33%
vs55 · Bottom 41%
Measured values
| Metric | 17512 | 64056 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,148 | 17,395 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,684 | $67,685 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,740 | $29,315 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,134/sq mi | 884/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $245,200 | $198,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,072 | $1,316 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.0% | 63.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 3.3% | 0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.7% | 19.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.3% | 19.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 5 | 72 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 0.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.1" | 38.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 25 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.3 min | 29.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.6 | 33.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.53 | 14.27 | 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
17512
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
64056
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: 17512 — Columbia, PA · 64056 — Independence, MO · How this is calculated: methodology