62903 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
26035
62903
Opportunity
21 · Bottom 3%
vs33 · Bottom 12%
Growth
22 · Bottom 9%
vs23 · Bottom 10%
Climate
65 · Bottom 35%
vs73 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
17 · Bottom 11%
vs37 · Bottom 30%
Access
92 · Bottom 47%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
48 · Bottom 30%
vs42 · Bottom 22%
Measured values
| Metric | 26035 | 62903 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,491 | 2,666 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $60,000 | $46,818 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,314 | $29,306 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 143/sq mi | 132/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $158,800 | $170,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 92.0% | 41.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 6.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.4% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.1% | 47.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.2% | 24.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 8 | 1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 14.3% | -50.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.6" | 44.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.1 min | 20.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.4 | 24.6 | 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
26035
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
62903
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Full profiles: 26035 — Weirton, WV · 62903 — Carbondale, IL · How this is calculated: methodology