62040 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
62040
62002
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 19%
vs35 · Bottom 14%
Growth
45 · Bottom 41%
vs37 · Bottom 28%
Climate
72 · Top 41%
vs71 · Top 48%
Physical resilience
60 · Top 48%
vs60 · Top 47%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 10%
vs96 · Top 18%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
41 · Bottom 21%
vs39 · Bottom 18%
Measured values
| Metric | 62040 | 62002 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 40,404 | 29,543 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $60,031 | $61,414 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,066 | $33,829 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,013/sq mi | 716/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $112,000 | $118,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $910 | $1,006 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.0% | 65.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 5.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.7% | 24.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.0% | 17.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 21 | 28 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 425.0% | 100.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.8" | 39.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 24.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.8 | 40.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.14 | 15.46 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 68.2% | 50.7% | 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
62040
Elevated or high exposure: hail, earthquake.
62002
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, hail.
Full profiles: 62040 — Granite City, IL · 62002 — Alton, IL · How this is calculated: methodology