45238 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
50317
45238
Opportunity
64 · Top 30%
vs65 · Top 29%
Growth
50 · Top 50%
vs62 · Top 28%
Climate
59 · Bottom 10%
vs69 · Bottom 47%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 11%
vs89 · Top 11%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 15%
vs100 · Top 6%
Access
97 · Top 37%
vs99 · Top 19%
Economic stability
60 · Top 49%
vs64 · Top 42%
Measured values
| Metric | 50317 | 45238 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 36,548 | 48,351 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,617 | $66,277 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,592 | $35,793 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,653/sq mi | 4,697/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $177,600 | $183,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,102 | $923 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.5% | 59.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.6% | 26.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.0% | 13.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 860 | 984 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.0 | 3.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -37.1% | 268.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.5" | 45.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 27.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.2 | 36.7 | 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
50317
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
45238
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: 50317 — Des Moines, IA · 45238 — Cincinnati, OH · How this is calculated: methodology