71601 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
71601
71055
Opportunity
19 · Bottom 2%
vs26 · Bottom 5%
Growth
31 · Bottom 18%
vs26 · Bottom 11%
Climate
68 · Bottom 45%
vs70 · Bottom 48%
Physical resilience
55 · Bottom 46%
vs45 · Bottom 34%
Housing affordability
81 · Top 50%
vs73 · Bottom 39%
Access
76 · Bottom 17%
vs79 · Bottom 20%
Economic stability
15 · Bottom 1%
vs16 · Bottom 2%
Measured values
| Metric | 71601 | 71055 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,367 | 17,772 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $37,528 | $36,953 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $19,776 | $26,311 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 116/sq mi | 68/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $80,000 | $127,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $828 | $857 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.6% | 59.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.7% | 5.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.8% | 13.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 29.4% | 25.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 13 | 9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 85.7% | -75.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 95°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 39°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.8" | 48.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 42 mi | 35 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.7 min | 26.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.5 | 39.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 5 | 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
71601
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
71055
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hail.
Full profiles: 71601 — Pine Bluff, AR · 71055 — Minden, LA · How this is calculated: methodology