71409 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
71409
61520
Opportunity
38 · Bottom 18%
vs51 · Bottom 41%
Growth
30 · Bottom 17%
vs16 · Bottom 5%
Climate
72 · Top 42%
vs61 · Bottom 19%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 24%
vs80 · Top 24%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs92 · Bottom 48%
Economic stability
37 · Bottom 16%
vs32 · Bottom 10%
Measured values
| Metric | 71409 | 61520 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,135 | 16,291 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,605 | $58,376 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,169 | $30,814 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 45/sq mi | 107/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $171,400 | $115,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $837 | $770 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.9% | 70.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.1% | 16.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.6% | 14.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 23 | 1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 64.3% | -50.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 54.6" | 37.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.9 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.2 | 44.8 | 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
71409
Elevated or high exposure: drought, hurricane, tornado.
61520
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: 71409 — Alexandria, LA · 61520 — Canton, IL · How this is calculated: methodology