47303 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
47303
18508
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 35%
vs45 · Bottom 30%
Growth
31 · Bottom 18%
vs44 · Bottom 40%
Climate
68 · Bottom 42%
vs63 · Bottom 30%
Physical resilience
75 · Top 29%
vs64 · Top 43%
Housing affordability
87 · Top 38%
vs84 · Top 44%
Access
64 · Bottom 8%
vs52 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
34 · Bottom 13%
vs30 · Bottom 9%
Measured values
| Metric | 47303 | 18508 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,392 | 11,565 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $47,674 | $49,895 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,116 | $26,390 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 420/sq mi | 1,708/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $118,200 | $145,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $942 | $1,037 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.5% | 54.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | 2.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.2% | 18.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 26.4% | 23.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 21 | 4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -53.3% | 100.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.3" | 38.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 62 mi | 80 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.3 min | 19.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 29.7 | 40.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.15 | 6.86 | 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
47303
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
18508
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: 47303 — Muncie, IN · 18508 — Scranton, PA · How this is calculated: methodology