38242 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
24504
38242
Opportunity
31 · Bottom 10%
vs48 · Bottom 35%
Growth
47 · Bottom 43%
vs45 · Bottom 42%
Climate
75 · Top 31%
vs75 · Top 30%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 23%
vs61 · Top 47%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 45%
vs89 · Top 33%
Access
36 · Bottom 1%
vs42 · Bottom 2%
Economic stability
21 · Bottom 3%
vs26 · Bottom 6%
Measured values
| Metric | 24504 | 38242 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 9,632 | 19,293 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $52,571 | $47,938 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,153 | $30,294 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 257/sq mi | 110/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $179,700 | $173,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,009 | $782 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.6% | 67.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.4% | 20.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 25.6% | 19.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 241 | 16 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.0 | 1.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 14.2% | -15.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 27°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.8" | 55.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 95 mi | 93 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.3 min | 19.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.8 | 44.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 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: 24504 — Lynchburg, VA · 38242 — Paris, TN · How this is calculated: methodology