62902 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
62902
77905
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 27%
vs45 · Bottom 29%
Growth
23 · Bottom 10%
vs29 · Bottom 16%
Climate
73 · Top 36%
vs73 · Top 37%
Physical resilience
42 · Bottom 32%
vs30 · Bottom 23%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs89 · Bottom 38%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 41%
vs48 · Bottom 30%
Measured values
| Metric | 62902 | 77905 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 4,135 | 16,599 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $84,223 | $88,585 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,797 | $39,368 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 64/sq mi | 39/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $207,800 | $227,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $927 | $1,103 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.1% | 85.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.2% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.6% | 17.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.9% | 11.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1 | 62 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -50.0% | -66.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 95°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 44°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.0" | 40.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.2 min | 28.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 48.3 | 41.6 | 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
62902
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, earthquake.
77905
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 62902 — Carbondale, IL · 77905 — Victoria, TX · How this is calculated: methodology