72401 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
72401
38501
Opportunity
59 · Top 40%
vs51 · Bottom 41%
Growth
74 · Top 11%
vs80 · Top 4%
Climate
70 · Top 49%
vs67 · Bottom 40%
Physical resilience
48 · Bottom 40%
vs48 · Bottom 39%
Housing affordability
72 · Bottom 38%
vs70 · Bottom 35%
Access
81 · Bottom 23%
vs67 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 11%
vs40 · Bottom 20%
Measured values
| Metric | 72401 | 38501 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 42,602 | 42,471 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $45,329 | $52,145 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $27,009 | $29,719 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 481/sq mi | 488/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $188,600 | $284,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $923 | $883 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 48.9% | 48.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.6% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.0% | 31.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 30.7% | 21.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 792 | 466 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.9 | 12.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 2.1% | 23.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 31°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.5" | 59.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 37 mi | 57 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.7 min | 22.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.6 | 31.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 8 | 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
72401
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
38501
Elevated or high exposure: lightning.
Full profiles: 72401 — Jonesboro, AR · 38501 — Cookeville, TN · How this is calculated: methodology