74501 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
74501
73801
Opportunity
17 · Bottom 2%
vs35 · Bottom 14%
Growth
18 · Bottom 6%
vs21 · Bottom 7%
Climate
64 · Bottom 33%
vs56 · Bottom 7%
Physical resilience
37 · Bottom 30%
vs27 · Bottom 22%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 14%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
50 · Bottom 3%
vs50 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
30 · Bottom 8%
vs46 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | 74501 | 73801 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,616 | 14,892 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,922 | $58,877 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,738 | $35,655 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 52/sq mi | 32/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $164,000 | $169,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $914 | $829 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.4% | 69.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.7% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.3% | -2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.4% | 18.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.6% | 15.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 10 | 2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -28.6% | -33.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 95°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.6" | 21.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 84 mi | 80 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.6 min | 20.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.9 | 36.7 | 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
74501
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, drought.
73801
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, wildfire, drought.
Full profiles: 74501 — McAlester, OK · 73801 — Woodward, OK · How this is calculated: methodology