38024 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
38024
72956
Opportunity
53 · Bottom 46%
vs56 · Top 48%
Growth
51 · Top 48%
vs42 · Bottom 37%
Climate
71 · Top 47%
vs63 · Bottom 26%
Physical resilience
43 · Bottom 33%
vs38 · Bottom 30%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 11%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
83 · Bottom 25%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
41 · Bottom 21%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Measured values
| Metric | 38024 | 72956 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,952 | 34,546 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,061 | $62,988 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,174 | $30,291 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 181/sq mi | 333/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $175,600 | $184,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $776 | $853 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.1% | 71.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | 1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.2% | 19.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.2% | 13.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 43 | 31 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.7 | 1.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 7.5% | -29.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 29°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.3" | 47.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 32 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.0 min | 22.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.6 | 38.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 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
38024
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
72956
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, wildfire.
Full profiles: 38024 — Dyersburg, TN · 72956 — Van Buren, AR · How this is calculated: methodology