71601 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
39307
71601
Opportunity
24 · Bottom 4%
vs19 · Bottom 2%
Growth
25 · Bottom 11%
vs31 · Bottom 18%
Climate
75 · Top 31%
vs68 · Bottom 45%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 36%
vs55 · Bottom 46%
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 29%
vs81 · Top 50%
Access
53 · Bottom 4%
vs76 · Bottom 17%
Economic stability
15 · Bottom 1%
vs15 · Bottom 1%
Measured values
| Metric | 39307 | 71601 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,047 | 13,367 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $30,413 | $37,528 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $18,096 | $19,776 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 166/sq mi | 116/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $91,300 | $80,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $863 | $828 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.2% | 51.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 6.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.2% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.1% | 14.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 38.0% | 29.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 8 | 13 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 14.3% | 85.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 57.0" | 50.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 75 mi | 42 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.6 min | 20.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.5 | 34.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 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
39307
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, hurricane, earthquake.
71601
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Full profiles: 39307 — Meridian, MS · 71601 — Pine Bluff, AR · How this is calculated: methodology