58202 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
18503
58202
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 42%
vs76 · Top 12%
Growth
44 · Bottom 40%
vs59 · Top 34%
Climate
63 · Bottom 30%
vs45 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 43%
vs72 · Top 33%
Housing affordability
19 · Bottom 1%
vs0 · Bottom 1%
Access
52 · Bottom 4%
vs52 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
13 · Bottom 1%
vs13 · Bottom 1%
Measured values
| Metric | 18503 | 58202 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,629 | 2,865 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $36,107 | $29,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,530 | $7,443 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,437/sq mi | 6,632/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,184 | $1,346 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 2.4% | 5.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 2.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.5% | 0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.2% | 100.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 39.0% | 83.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4 | 135 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 2.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 100.0% | 13.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | -3°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.7" | 21.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 81 mi | 70 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 11.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 30.3 | 19.3 | 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
18503
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
58202
Elevated or high exposure: winter weather, ice storm, hail.
Full profiles: 18503 — Scranton, PA · 58202 — Grand Forks, ND · How this is calculated: methodology