52601 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
50401
52601
Opportunity
56 · Top 47%
vs56 · Top 46%
Growth
15 · Bottom 4%
vs19 · Bottom 6%
Climate
54 · Bottom 3%
vs60 · Bottom 16%
Physical resilience
52 · Bottom 45%
vs69 · Top 36%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
38 · Bottom 33%
vs27 · Bottom 18%
Access
64 · Bottom 8%
vs70 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
53 · Bottom 37%
vs49 · Bottom 31%
Measured values
| Metric | 50401 | 52601 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,703 | 27,341 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,072 | $60,983 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,886 | $36,011 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 194/sq mi | 250/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $146,500 | $124,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $875 | $910 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.3% | 73.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.4% | 23.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.4% | 12.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -95.9% | -81.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 7°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.3" | 37.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 58 mi | 52 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 15.2 min | 18.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.2 | 43.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.12 | 13.25 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 53.8% | 43.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 56.5% | 48.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 48.2% | 53.1% | 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
50401
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, cold wave.
52601
Elevated or high exposure: hail, drought, tornado.
Full profiles: 50401 — Mason City, IA · 52601 — Burlington, IA · How this is calculated: methodology