39759 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
39759
39046
Opportunity
66 · Top 27%
vs55 · Top 50%
Growth
51 · Top 49%
vs55 · Top 42%
Climate
72 · Top 43%
vs76 · Top 27%
Physical resilience
65 · Top 43%
vs65 · Top 42%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 24%
vs77 · Bottom 45%
Schools
56 · Top 44%
vs39 · Bottom 33%
Access
88 · Bottom 35%
vs89 · Bottom 37%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 11%
vs30 · Bottom 9%
Measured values
| Metric | 39759 | 39046 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 42,783 | 28,442 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $46,398 | $49,132 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,190 | $28,196 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 132/sq mi | 91/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $256,900 | $216,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $922 | $872 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 45.8% | 60.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.2% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.0% | 28.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 26.1% | 24.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 58 | 18 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 1.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 5.5% | 38.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 58.0" | 57.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 23 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 26.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 29.0 | 38.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.36 | 15.02 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 35.3% | 22.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 35.8% | 30.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 66.8% | 87.9% | 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
39759
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, tornado, strong wind.
39046
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: 39759 — Starkville, MS · 39046 — Canton, MS · How this is calculated: methodology