52002 and 52003 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
52002
52003
Opportunity
63 · Top 33%
vs65 · Top 29%
Growth
60 · Top 32%
vs60 · Top 32%
Climate
57 · Bottom 8%
vs57 · Bottom 8%
Physical resilience
77 · Top 28%
vs77 · Top 28%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 17%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
70 · Top 27%
vs65 · Top 33%
Access
64 · Bottom 8%
vs63 · Bottom 8%
Economic stability
71 · Top 29%
vs76 · Top 19%
Measured values
| Metric | 52002 | 52003 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,005 | 13,796 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $91,036 | $98,908 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,837 | $52,172 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 583/sq mi | 245/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $298,900 | $286,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,080 | $932 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.6% | 88.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.4% | -1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.4% | 46.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.9% | 5.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 511 | 511 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.6 | 8.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 33.8% | 33.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 11°F | 11°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.2" | 38.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 65 mi | 65 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.3 min | 16.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.1 | 43.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.57 | 13.41 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 75.1% | 72.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 69.0% | 64.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 35.8% | 37.0% | 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
52002
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
52003
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Full profiles: 52002 — Dubuque, IA · 52003 — Dubuque, IA · How this is calculated: methodology