72802 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
72802
63801
Opportunity
53 · Bottom 46%
vs59 · Top 42%
Growth
59 · Top 34%
vs48 · Bottom 46%
Climate
65 · Bottom 35%
vs72 · Top 41%
Physical resilience
37 · Bottom 30%
vs36 · Bottom 28%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 14%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
63 · Bottom 8%
vs58 · Bottom 6%
Economic stability
41 · Bottom 21%
vs42 · Bottom 22%
Measured values
| Metric | 72802 | 63801 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,283 | 22,027 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $64,110 | $62,698 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,476 | $35,655 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 169/sq mi | 104/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $203,400 | $156,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $888 | $886 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.3% | 66.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | -0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.8% | 25.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.1% | 13.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 50 | 30 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.7 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 72.4% | 87.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 63 mi | 67 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.4 min | 17.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.0 | 40.2 | 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
72802
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, earthquake, inland flooding.
63801
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: 72802 — Russellville, AR · 63801 — Sikeston, MO · How this is calculated: methodology