43952 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
62522
43952
Opportunity
21 · Bottom 3%
vs35 · Bottom 14%
Growth
13 · Bottom 3%
vs10 · Bottom 2%
Climate
67 · Bottom 40%
vs65 · Bottom 35%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 37%
vs58 · Bottom 49%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 13%
vs98 · Top 15%
Access
84 · Bottom 27%
vs90 · Bottom 41%
Economic stability
30 · Bottom 8%
vs24 · Bottom 4%
Measured values
| Metric | 62522 | 43952 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,185 | 17,836 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $50,669 | $47,624 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,234 | $25,632 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 634/sq mi | 694/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $113,600 | $124,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $794 | $753 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.5% | 59.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.6% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.6% | 25.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 24.9% | 25.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.4" | 37.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 33 mi | 23 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.7 min | 21.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.8 | 34.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.98 | 17.11 | 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
62522
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, tornado.
43952
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 62522 — Decatur, IL · 43952 — Steubenville, OH · How this is calculated: methodology