72104 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
71701
72104
Opportunity
42 · Bottom 25%
vs41 · Bottom 22%
Growth
15 · Bottom 4%
vs23 · Bottom 9%
Climate
70 · Bottom 48%
vs66 · Bottom 38%
Physical resilience
29 · Bottom 23%
vs32 · Bottom 25%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 17%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
46 · Bottom 3%
vs70 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
21 · Bottom 3%
vs26 · Bottom 6%
Measured values
| Metric | 71701 | 72104 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,847 | 23,624 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $49,110 | $54,774 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,141 | $24,638 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 59/sq mi | 72/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $113,700 | $127,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $794 | $767 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.3% | 71.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.0% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.3% | 16.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.6% | 16.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3 | 2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -70.0% | -71.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 52.1" | 52.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 86 mi | 43 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 30.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.3 | 42.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 9.85 | 10.68 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 84.0% | 65.5% | 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
71701
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, strong wind.
72104
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, lightning, hail.
Full profiles: 71701 — Camden, AR · 72104 — Malvern, AR · How this is calculated: methodology