62903 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
62903
62203
Opportunity
33 · Bottom 12%
vs25 · Bottom 5%
Growth
23 · Bottom 10%
vs17 · Bottom 5%
Climate
73 · Top 36%
vs72 · Top 41%
Physical resilience
37 · Bottom 30%
vs43 · Bottom 33%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 43%
vs73 · Bottom 39%
Access
95 · Top 40%
vs93 · Bottom 49%
Economic stability
42 · Bottom 22%
vs18 · Bottom 2%
Measured values
| Metric | 62903 | 62203 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,666 | 5,465 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $46,818 | $42,111 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,306 | $25,390 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 132/sq mi | 967/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $170,000 | $68,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $850 | $1,050 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 41.3% | 66.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.2% | 7.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.0% | 15.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 24.5% | 24.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1 | 13 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -50.0% | -87.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.0" | 40.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 16 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.0 min | 24.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 24.6 | 43.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.92 | 12.44 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 54.5% | 98.5% | 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
62903
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
62203
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: 62903 — Carbondale, IL · 62203 — East St. Louis, IL · How this is calculated: methodology