62040 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
62002
62040
Opportunity
35 · Bottom 14%
vs39 · Bottom 19%
Growth
37 · Bottom 28%
vs45 · Bottom 41%
Climate
71 · Top 48%
vs72 · Top 41%
Physical resilience
60 · Top 47%
vs60 · Top 48%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 18%
vs100 · Top 10%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
39 · Bottom 18%
vs41 · Bottom 21%
Measured values
| Metric | 62002 | 62040 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,543 | 40,404 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,414 | $60,031 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,829 | $32,066 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 716/sq mi | 1,013/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $118,900 | $112,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,006 | $910 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.7% | 75.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.1% | 15.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.8% | 15.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 28 | 21 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 100.0% | 425.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.4" | 40.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.8 min | 23.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.4 | 39.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.46 | 17.14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 50.7% | 68.2% | 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
62002
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, hail.
62040
Elevated or high exposure: hail, earthquake.
Full profiles: 62002 — Alton, IL · 62040 — Granite City, IL · How this is calculated: methodology