17815 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
17815
18603
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 49%
vs48 · Bottom 36%
Growth
22 · Bottom 9%
vs40 · Bottom 33%
Climate
63 · Bottom 28%
vs63 · Bottom 30%
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 36%
vs57 · Bottom 48%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 18%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
83 · Top 9%
vs70 · Top 27%
Access
63 · Bottom 8%
vs60 · Bottom 7%
Economic stability
42 · Bottom 21%
vs44 · Bottom 24%
Measured values
| Metric | 17815 | 18603 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,790 | 18,827 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,510 | $60,352 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,419 | $33,105 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 237/sq mi | 353/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $222,900 | $170,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,025 | $810 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.0% | 71.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 3.3% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.9% | 22.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.1% | 13.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -100.0% | 66.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.9" | 38.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 60 mi | 67 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.3 min | 24.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.6 | 45.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.45 | 13.10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 46.5% | 34.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 67.6% | 57.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 43.4% | 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
17815
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
18603
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: 17815 — Bloomsburg, PA · 18603 — Berwick, PA · How this is calculated: methodology