29169 and 29640 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
29169
29640
Opportunity
74 · Top 14%
vs71 · Top 18%
Growth
66 · Top 20%
vs64 · Top 25%
Climate
72 · Top 44%
vs70 · Bottom 49%
Physical resilience
57 · Bottom 49%
vs63 · Top 45%
Housing affordability
77 · Bottom 46%
vs91 · Top 30%
Schools
56 · Top 43%
vs54 · Top 46%
Access
98 · Top 21%
vs94 · Top 44%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 28%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Measured values
| Metric | 29169 | 29640 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,647 | 33,142 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,122 | $62,207 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,603 | $38,739 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,863/sq mi | 387/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $209,200 | $217,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,173 | $1,005 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.3% | 75.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.6% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.3% | 20.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.0% | 15.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 123 | 189 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.8 | 7.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.0% | -35.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.2" | 47.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.5 min | 28.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.9 | 40.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.57 | 14.42 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 38.1% | 39.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.7% | 42.9% | 2019-20 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
29169
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, earthquake.
29640
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, earthquake, cold wave.
Full profiles: 29169 — West Columbia, SC · 29640 — Easley, SC · How this is calculated: methodology