38651 and 72916 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
38651
72916
Opportunity
62 · Top 35%
vs73 · Top 16%
Growth
63 · Top 27%
vs54 · Top 43%
Climate
68 · Bottom 42%
vs63 · Bottom 26%
Physical resilience
57 · Bottom 48%
vs58 · Top 50%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 18%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
98 · Top 22%
vs95 · Top 43%
Economic stability
70 · Top 30%
vs66 · Top 38%
Measured values
| Metric | 38651 | 72916 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 8,731 | 11,711 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $98,760 | $87,983 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,592 | $70,888 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 265/sq mi | 311/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $328,000 | $263,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $796 | $1,242 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 92.4% | 71.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | 1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.2% | 40.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.9% | 8.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 113 | 359 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.3 | 4.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -28.0% | -10.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 54.9" | 47.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.3 min | 21.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.8 | 38.9 | 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.
72916
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Full profiles: 38651 — Hernando, MS · 72916 — Fort Smith, AR · How this is calculated: methodology