64801 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
64801
70815
Opportunity
62 · Top 35%
vs52 · Bottom 44%
Growth
66 · Top 21%
vs58 · Top 36%
Climate
71 · Top 44%
vs77 · Top 26%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 42%
vs47 · Bottom 38%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 39%
vs87 · Top 38%
Access
66 · Bottom 9%
vs68 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
43 · Bottom 23%
vs46 · Bottom 27%
Measured values
| Metric | 64801 | 70815 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 36,287 | 31,024 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $52,620 | $59,254 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,181 | $29,226 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 631/sq mi | 3,282/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $180,600 | $213,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $956 | $1,021 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.3% | 63.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | 2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.7% | 29.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.7% | 19.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 257 | 1,479 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 6.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 11.7% | -23.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.6" | 61.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 58 mi | 57 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.9 min | 26.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.6 | 33.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 3.50 | 15.40 | 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
64801
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, tornado, drought.
70815
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 64801 — Joplin, MO · 70815 — Baton Rouge, LA · How this is calculated: methodology