42003 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
41101
42003
Opportunity
41 · Bottom 22%
vs41 · Bottom 23%
Growth
20 · Bottom 7%
vs33 · Bottom 22%
Climate
75 · Top 29%
vs73 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
44 · Bottom 34%
vs43 · Bottom 34%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 22%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
66 · Top 32%
vs57 · Top 42%
Access
44 · Bottom 2%
vs67 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
35 · Bottom 13%
vs29 · Bottom 8%
Measured values
| Metric | 41101 | 42003 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,189 | 29,672 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $53,889 | $55,791 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,119 | $33,441 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,872/sq mi | 430/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $121,600 | $167,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $920 | $740 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.5% | 70.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.0% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.2% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.5% | 24.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.5% | 17.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1 | 48 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -90.9% | -66.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 27°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.1" | 50.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 90 mi | 57 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.5 min | 19.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.9 | 41.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.86 | 14.64 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 36.3% | 33.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.1% | 42.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 69.6% | 63.3% | 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
41101
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
42003
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 41101 — Ashland, KY · 42003 — Paducah, KY · How this is calculated: methodology