24201 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
71301
24201
Opportunity
37 · Bottom 16%
vs39 · Bottom 19%
Growth
30 · Bottom 17%
vs38 · Bottom 29%
Climate
72 · Top 42%
vs75 · Top 29%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 24%
vs74 · Top 30%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 40%
vs90 · Top 33%
Access
98 · Top 21%
vs91 · Bottom 43%
Economic stability
22 · Bottom 4%
vs27 · Bottom 6%
Measured values
| Metric | 71301 | 24201 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,035 | 15,903 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $43,098 | $48,764 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $27,797 | $30,749 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,365/sq mi | 1,573/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $160,800 | $176,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $927 | $793 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 47.9% | 61.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.7% | 25.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 27.5% | 18.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 23 | 14 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 64.3% | 180.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 54.6" | 44.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.0 min | 19.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.0 | 43.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.07 | 10.48 | 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
71301
Elevated or high exposure: drought, hurricane, tornado.
24201
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 71301 — Alexandria, LA · 24201 — Bristol, VA · How this is calculated: methodology