51109 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
51109
01069
Opportunity
62 · Top 36%
vs52 · Bottom 45%
Growth
35 · Bottom 25%
vs45 · Bottom 42%
Climate
56 · Bottom 7%
vs60 · Bottom 14%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 38%
vs60 · Top 47%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs95 · Top 20%
Access
94 · Top 47%
vs92 · Bottom 48%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 48%
vs60 · Top 50%
Measured values
| Metric | 51109 | 01069 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,606 | 8,821 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,034 | $80,190 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,934 | $45,908 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 205/sq mi | 314/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $130,900 | $274,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $627 | $1,013 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 87.0% | 74.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 3.4% | 22.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.1% | 8.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 109 | 9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.3 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -35.1% | 28.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 10°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.3" | 45.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.0 min | 34.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.4 | 52.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 8.11 | 10.69 | 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
51109
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, cold wave.
01069
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 51109 — Sioux City, IA · 01069 — Palmer Town, MA · How this is calculated: methodology