34996 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
34996
34949
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 35%
vs44 · Bottom 27%
Growth
32 · Bottom 21%
vs36 · Bottom 27%
Climate
86 · Top 9%
vs86 · Top 9%
Physical resilience
13 · Bottom 10%
vs14 · Bottom 10%
Housing affordability
75 · Bottom 42%
vs67 · Bottom 31%
Access
83 · Bottom 25%
vs74 · Bottom 15%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 11%
vs31 · Bottom 9%
Measured values
| Metric | 34996 | 34949 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,653 | 7,470 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $83,929 | $94,949 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $76,608 | $68,823 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,586/sq mi | 791/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $456,800 | $483,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,222 | $1,769 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 84.0% | 81.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 7.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.8% | 48.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.7% | 8.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 7 | 107 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 2.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 51°F | 51°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 51.2" | 51.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 35 mi | 49 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.2 min | 32.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 64.4 | 64.8 | 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
34996
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
34949
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 34996 — Stuart, FL · 34949 — Fort Pierce, FL · How this is calculated: methodology