15901 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
71497
15901
Opportunity
18 · Bottom 2%
vs28 · Bottom 7%
Growth
3 · Bottom 1%
vs7 · Bottom 1%
Climate
75 · Top 30%
vs62 · Bottom 25%
Physical resilience
61 · Top 46%
vs96 · Top 2%
Access
73 · Bottom 14%
vs84 · Bottom 27%
Economic stability
4 · Bottom 1%
vs11 · Bottom 1%
Measured values
| Metric | 71497 | 15901 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,074 | 3,397 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $2,499 | $27,121 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $4,541 | $25,217 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,148/sq mi | 2,233/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 2.5% | 42.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.6% | 6.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | 2.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.7% | 14.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 96.6% | 39.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 57.3" | 41.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 44 mi | 27 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 11.7 min | 18.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 19.7 | 51.6 | 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
71497
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
15901
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 71497 — Natchitoches, LA · 15901 — Johnstown, PA · How this is calculated: methodology