50588 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
50588
50401
Opportunity
67 · Top 25%
vs56 · Top 47%
Growth
22 · Bottom 9%
vs15 · Bottom 4%
Climate
55 · Bottom 5%
vs54 · Bottom 3%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 43%
vs52 · Bottom 45%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
21 · Bottom 11%
vs38 · Bottom 33%
Access
56 · Bottom 5%
vs64 · Bottom 8%
Economic stability
73 · Top 25%
vs53 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | 50588 | 50401 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,431 | 28,703 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $70,906 | $66,072 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,895 | $37,886 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 97/sq mi | 194/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $184,900 | $146,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $897 | $875 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.3% | 66.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.9% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.3% | 21.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.7% | 11.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3 | 2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -96.2% | -95.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 9°F | 7°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.8" | 36.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 65 mi | 58 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 12.3 min | 15.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.2 | 42.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.58 | 14.12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 44.6% | 53.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 48.3% | 56.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 70.1% | 48.2% | 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
50588
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, strong wind.
50401
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, cold wave.
Full profiles: 50588 — Storm Lake, IA · 50401 — Mason City, IA · How this is calculated: methodology