53703 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
53703
01610
Opportunity
68 · Top 22%
vs44 · Bottom 28%
Growth
71 · Top 14%
vs67 · Top 18%
Climate
57 · Bottom 8%
vs61 · Bottom 18%
Physical resilience
97 · Top 2%
vs85 · Top 16%
Housing affordability
14 · Bottom 1%
vs34 · Bottom 5%
Access
97 · Top 37%
vs79 · Bottom 16%
Economic stability
53 · Bottom 37%
vs36 · Bottom 13%
Measured values
| Metric | 53703 | 01610 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 37,659 | 30,444 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $47,847 | $51,472 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,898 | $24,321 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 20,356/sq mi | 14,280/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $471,800 | $308,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,488 | $1,523 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 14.6% | 19.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 70.6% | 18.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 39.6% | 30.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3,111 | 720 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 11.2 | 3.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 14.7% | 25.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 12°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.1" | 48.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 41 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.0 min | 25.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 24.8 | 26.6 | 2024 ACS 5-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
53703
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
01610
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 53703 — Madison, WI · 01610 — Worcester, MA · How this is calculated: methodology