50211 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
50219
50211
Opportunity
81 · Top 7%
vs84 · Top 3%
Growth
79 · Top 5%
vs82 · Top 3%
Climate
58 · Bottom 9%
vs59 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
71 · Top 34%
vs73 · Top 32%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 22%
vs99 · Top 10%
Schools
89 · Top 4%
vs79 · Top 15%
Access
77 · Bottom 19%
vs90 · Bottom 41%
Economic stability
76 · Top 18%
vs84 · Top 6%
Measured values
| Metric | 50219 | 50211 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,416 | 16,835 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,807 | $103,712 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,962 | $48,548 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 125/sq mi | 287/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $301,400 | $316,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,026 | $851 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.4% | 84.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.6% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.1% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.0% | 37.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.0% | 5.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 72 | 262 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.7 | 18.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 118.2% | 8.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 13°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.6" | 36.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 40 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.0 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.3 | 38.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.44 | 15.64 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 85.0% | 79.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 78.8% | 74.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 16.6% | 17.4% | 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
50219
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, heat wave.
50211
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, heat wave.
Full profiles: 50219 — Pella, IA · 50211 — Norwalk, IA · How this is calculated: methodology