62249 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
38651
62249
Opportunity
62 · Top 35%
vs63 · Top 33%
Growth
63 · Top 27%
vs69 · Top 17%
Climate
68 · Bottom 42%
vs71 · Top 46%
Physical resilience
57 · Bottom 48%
vs59 · Top 49%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 18%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
98 · Top 22%
vs90 · Bottom 41%
Economic stability
70 · Top 30%
vs78 · Top 14%
Measured values
| Metric | 38651 | 62249 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 8,731 | 16,205 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $98,760 | $90,424 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,592 | $50,065 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 265/sq mi | 183/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $328,000 | $227,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $796 | $858 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 92.4% | 80.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.2% | 39.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.9% | 4.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 113 | 79 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.3 | 7.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -28.0% | 393.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 54.9" | 43.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.3 min | 29.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.8 | 43.6 | 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
38651
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
62249
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, hail.
Full profiles: 38651 — Hernando, MS · 62249 — Highland, IL · How this is calculated: methodology