72802 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
63801
72802
Opportunity
59 · Top 42%
vs53 · Bottom 46%
Growth
48 · Bottom 46%
vs59 · Top 34%
Climate
72 · Top 41%
vs65 · Bottom 35%
Physical resilience
36 · Bottom 28%
vs37 · Bottom 30%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs98 · Top 14%
Access
58 · Bottom 6%
vs63 · Bottom 8%
Economic stability
42 · Bottom 22%
vs41 · Bottom 21%
Measured values
| Metric | 63801 | 72802 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,027 | 23,283 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $62,698 | $64,110 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,655 | $34,476 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 104/sq mi | 169/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $156,700 | $203,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $886 | $888 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.0% | 77.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.2% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.2% | 30.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.3% | 16.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 30 | 50 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.8 | 1.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 87.5% | 72.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 67 mi | 63 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.7 min | 22.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.2 | 40.0 | 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
63801
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, strong wind, tornado.
72802
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 63801 — Sikeston, MO · 72802 — Russellville, AR · How this is calculated: methodology