18508 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
24016
18508
Opportunity
37 · Bottom 17%
vs45 · Bottom 30%
Growth
29 · Bottom 15%
vs44 · Bottom 40%
Climate
77 · Top 25%
vs63 · Bottom 30%
Physical resilience
75 · Top 30%
vs64 · Top 43%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 44%
vs84 · Top 44%
Access
45 · Bottom 2%
vs52 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
43 · Bottom 23%
vs30 · Bottom 9%
Measured values
| Metric | 24016 | 18508 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,521 | 11,565 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $46,512 | $49,895 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,754 | $26,390 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,513/sq mi | 1,708/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $119,700 | $145,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $966 | $1,037 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 21.3% | 54.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | 2.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.4% | 18.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.5% | 23.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 263 | 4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.7 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -34.7% | 100.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 29°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.8" | 38.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 81 mi | 80 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.1 min | 19.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.7 | 40.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.02 | 6.86 | 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
24016
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
18508
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: 24016 — Roanoke, VA · 18508 — Scranton, PA · How this is calculated: methodology