65265 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
63501
65265
Opportunity
29 · Bottom 8%
vs37 · Bottom 16%
Growth
30 · Bottom 17%
vs40 · Bottom 35%
Climate
61 · Bottom 18%
vs66 · Bottom 39%
Physical resilience
73 · Top 32%
vs66 · Top 42%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
44 · Bottom 40%
vs41 · Bottom 36%
Access
6 · Bottom 1%
vs41 · Bottom 2%
Economic stability
22 · Bottom 4%
vs35 · Bottom 14%
Measured values
| Metric | 63501 | 65265 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,218 | 15,153 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $60,729 | $56,969 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,883 | $29,330 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 103/sq mi | 68/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $168,200 | $152,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $777 | $693 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.9% | 68.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.4% | 19.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 23.7% | 17.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 10 | 28 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 2.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 11.1% | -3.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.3" | 43.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 110 mi | 87 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 15.4 min | 22.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 27.7 | 40.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.43 | 13.72 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 27.2% | 31.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.3% | 37.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 47.7% | 84.2% | 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
63501
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave.
65265
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, cold wave.
Full profiles: 63501 — Kirksville, MO · 65265 — Mexico, MO · How this is calculated: methodology