47901 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
47901
18101
Opportunity
71 · Top 18%
vs46 · Bottom 32%
Growth
62 · Top 30%
vs62 · Top 30%
Climate
62 · Bottom 21%
vs64 · Bottom 34%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 16%
vs81 · Top 21%
Housing affordability
56 · Bottom 18%
vs48 · Bottom 11%
Access
68 · Bottom 10%
vs73 · Bottom 14%
Economic stability
53 · Bottom 39%
vs46 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | 47901 | 18101 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 4,585 | 6,120 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $47,206 | $44,773 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,970 | $28,551 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 7,642/sq mi | 19,935/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $256,500 | $171,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,036 | $1,430 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 8.1% | 8.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 5.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.6% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 56.0% | 23.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.8% | 22.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 694 | 135 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.8 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -18.3% | 58.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.0" | 47.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 58 mi | 52 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.2 min | 30.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 30.5 | 29.1 | 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
47901
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
18101
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 47901 — Lafayette, IN · 18101 — Allentown, PA · How this is calculated: methodology