52627 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
52627
52501
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 43%
vs48 · Bottom 35%
Growth
52 · Top 46%
vs57 · Top 38%
Climate
60 · Bottom 16%
vs59 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
45 · Bottom 34%
vs36 · Bottom 29%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
58 · Bottom 6%
vs57 · Bottom 6%
Economic stability
43 · Bottom 22%
vs42 · Bottom 21%
Measured values
| Metric | 52627 | 52501 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,677 | 30,371 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,401 | $63,426 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,663 | $32,047 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 199/sq mi | 135/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $116,500 | $122,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $822 | $926 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.0% | 65.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.5% | 20.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.2% | 16.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 25 | 46 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.5 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 1150.0% | 21.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.9" | 37.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 70 mi | 69 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.0 min | 20.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.7 | 38.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.97 | 15.05 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 51.8% | 45.7% | 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
52627
Elevated or high exposure: hail, drought, strong wind.
52501
Elevated or high exposure: drought, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 52627 — Fort Madison, IA · 52501 — Ottumwa, IA · How this is calculated: methodology