32502 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
32502
34981
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 38%
vs35 · Bottom 14%
Growth
41 · Bottom 35%
vs36 · Bottom 27%
Climate
81 · Top 17%
vs86 · Top 9%
Physical resilience
14 · Bottom 10%
vs14 · Bottom 10%
Housing affordability
64 · Bottom 27%
vs67 · Bottom 31%
Access
72 · Bottom 13%
vs72 · Bottom 13%
Economic stability
46 · Bottom 27%
vs56 · Bottom 43%
Measured values
| Metric | 32502 | 34981 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 4,231 | 5,031 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,207 | $71,136 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,880 | $32,320 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,576/sq mi | 467/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $307,800 | $373,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,461 | $1,304 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.0% | 64.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 7.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.6% | 31.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.7% | 17.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 114 | 107 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 2.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -1.7% | -80.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 44°F | 51°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 68.3" | 51.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 49 mi | 52 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 26.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.8 | 32.7 | 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
32502
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
34981
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 32502 — Pensacola, FL · 34981 — Fort Pierce, FL · How this is calculated: methodology