64801 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
38501
64801
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 41%
vs62 · Top 35%
Growth
80 · Top 4%
vs66 · Top 21%
Climate
67 · Bottom 40%
vs71 · Top 44%
Physical resilience
48 · Bottom 39%
vs50 · Bottom 42%
Housing affordability
70 · Bottom 35%
vs86 · Top 39%
Access
67 · Bottom 10%
vs66 · Bottom 9%
Economic stability
40 · Bottom 20%
vs43 · Bottom 23%
Measured values
| Metric | 38501 | 64801 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 42,471 | 36,287 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $52,145 | $52,620 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,719 | $32,181 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 488/sq mi | 631/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $284,600 | $180,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $883 | $956 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 48.9% | 53.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.4% | 25.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.4% | 17.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 466 | 257 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 12.9 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 23.0% | 11.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 59.0" | 45.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 57 mi | 58 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 19.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.4 | 39.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 1 | 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
38501
Elevated or high exposure: lightning.
64801
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, tornado, drought.
Full profiles: 38501 — Cookeville, TN · 64801 — Joplin, MO · How this is calculated: methodology