71601 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
61101
71601
Opportunity
13 · Bottom 1%
vs19 · Bottom 2%
Growth
40 · Bottom 33%
vs31 · Bottom 18%
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs68 · Bottom 45%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 46%
vs55 · Bottom 46%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 49%
vs81 · Top 50%
Access
68 · Bottom 10%
vs76 · Bottom 17%
Economic stability
28 · Bottom 7%
vs15 · Bottom 1%
Measured values
| Metric | 61101 | 71601 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,318 | 13,367 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $46,163 | $37,528 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $24,971 | $19,776 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 465/sq mi | 116/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $90,600 | $80,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,037 | $828 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.4% | 51.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 6.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.3% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.6% | 14.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 30.9% | 29.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 143 | 13 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 27.7% | 85.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.2" | 50.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 56 mi | 42 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.1 min | 20.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.7 | 34.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 1 | 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
61101
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
71601
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Full profiles: 61101 — Rockford, IL · 71601 — Pine Bluff, AR · How this is calculated: methodology