37421 and 97302 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
37421
97302
Opportunity
65 · Top 29%
vs65 · Top 29%
Growth
66 · Top 21%
vs74 · Top 10%
Climate
73 · Top 39%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
58 · Bottom 49%
vs42 · Bottom 33%
Housing affordability
83 · Top 46%
vs73 · Bottom 39%
Access
47 · Bottom 3%
vs67 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
61 · Top 48%
vs62 · Top 46%
Measured values
| Metric | 37421 | 97302 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 52,985 | 40,799 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $82,517 | $85,833 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,620 | $48,921 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,671/sq mi | 1,741/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $333,700 | $446,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,405 | $1,385 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.2% | 61.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.4% | 1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.8% | 42.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.9% | 9.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 993 | 1,177 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.3 | 6.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 2.6% | 67.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 55.0" | 40.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 85 mi | 53 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.5 min | 22.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.8 | 41.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 10 | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
37421
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
97302
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
Full profiles: 37421 — Chattanooga, TN · 97302 — Salem, OR · How this is calculated: methodology