72015 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
72015
72404
Opportunity
76 · Top 12%
vs71 · Top 20%
Growth
86 · Top 1%
vs74 · Top 11%
Climate
66 · Bottom 39%
vs70 · Top 49%
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 36%
vs50 · Bottom 42%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 19%
vs94 · Top 23%
Access
80 · Bottom 21%
vs73 · Bottom 15%
Economic stability
63 · Top 43%
vs58 · Bottom 47%
Measured values
| Metric | 72015 | 72404 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,712 | 29,968 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,107 | $70,269 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,318 | $43,036 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 338/sq mi | 234/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $180,300 | $247,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,089 | $946 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.6% | 63.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.2% | 2.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.7% | 37.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.4% | 13.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 355 | 792 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.7 | 9.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 65.1% | 2.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 31°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.4" | 48.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 27 mi | 49 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.2 min | 21.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.3 | 37.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.86 | 13.80 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 40.0% | 54.9% | 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
72015
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, tornado, hail.
72404
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Full profiles: 72015 — Benton, AR · 72404 — Jonesboro, AR · How this is calculated: methodology