71409 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
49034
71409
Opportunity
22 · Bottom 3%
vs38 · Bottom 18%
Growth
26 · Bottom 12%
vs30 · Bottom 17%
Climate
61 · Bottom 19%
vs72 · Top 42%
Physical resilience
91 · Top 9%
vs80 · Top 24%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
99 · Top 15%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
54 · Bottom 40%
vs37 · Bottom 16%
Measured values
| Metric | 49034 | 71409 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,938 | 6,135 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,929 | $61,605 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,471 | $37,169 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 52/sq mi | 45/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $213,600 | $171,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $854 | $837 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 87.6% | 77.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.6% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.3% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.0% | 13.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.0% | 12.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 9 | 23 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 0.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 12.5% | 64.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 39°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.5" | 54.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 28.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.1 | 45.2 | 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
49034
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, strong wind.
71409
Elevated or high exposure: drought, hurricane, tornado.
Full profiles: 49034 — Battle Creek, MI · 71409 — Alexandria, LA · How this is calculated: methodology