23438 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
23438
13478
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 38%
vs52 · Bottom 45%
Growth
62 · Top 30%
vs48 · Bottom 46%
Climate
71 · Top 46%
vs59 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 28%
vs89 · Top 11%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 12%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
76 · Bottom 17%
vs98 · Top 23%
Economic stability
61 · Top 48%
vs69 · Top 32%
Measured values
| Metric | 23438 | 13478 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,749 | 3,078 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $93,750 | $83,986 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,501 | $43,108 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 44/sq mi | 88/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $292,600 | $185,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $950 | $846 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 96.4% | 91.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.9% | 18.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.6% | 6.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 608 | 78 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.2 | 2.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -9.5% | 21.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.6" | 44.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 40 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 44.9 min | 19.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.5 | 45.6 | 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
23438
Elevated or high exposure: drought, hurricane.
13478
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 23438 — Suffolk, VA · 13478 — Rome, NY · How this is calculated: methodology