24073 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
24502
24073
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 21%
vs36 · Bottom 15%
Growth
47 · Bottom 43%
vs61 · Top 31%
Climate
75 · Top 31%
vs65 · Bottom 38%
Physical resilience
83 · Top 18%
vs82 · Top 20%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 34%
vs96 · Top 18%
Schools
48 · Bottom 45%
vs60 · Top 39%
Access
36 · Bottom 1%
vs48 · Bottom 3%
Economic stability
53 · Bottom 38%
vs55 · Bottom 41%
Measured values
| Metric | 24502 | 24073 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 41,979 | 29,677 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,872 | $76,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,034 | $42,690 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,410/sq mi | 331/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $228,100 | $253,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,224 | $1,168 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.3% | 65.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.9% | 41.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.0% | 11.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 241 | 244 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.0 | 10.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 14.2% | 1061.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.8" | 42.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 95 mi | 76 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.6 min | 20.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.6 | 41.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.17 | 12.73 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 44.6% | 52.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 59.5% | 67.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 85.0% | 48.5% | 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.
Full profiles: 24502 — Lynchburg, VA · 24073 — Christiansburg, VA · How this is calculated: methodology