76541 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
76541
78040
Opportunity
24 · Bottom 4%
vs35 · Bottom 14%
Growth
67 · Top 19%
vs58 · Top 37%
Climate
68 · Bottom 44%
vs67 · Bottom 40%
Physical resilience
79 · Top 25%
vs70 · Top 35%
Housing affordability
73 · Bottom 40%
vs70 · Bottom 35%
Access
67 · Bottom 10%
vs90 · Bottom 41%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 10%
vs23 · Bottom 4%
Measured values
| Metric | 76541 | 78040 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,011 | 35,709 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $37,349 | $36,092 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $26,644 | $17,498 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,888/sq mi | 5,664/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $116,300 | $118,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $904 | $895 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 23.6% | 37.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.3% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.2% | 8.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 26.1% | 34.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 965 | 1,142 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.1 | 4.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -5.9% | -21.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 100°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 47°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.8" | 21.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 53 mi | 3 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.4 min | 21.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.2 | 30.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.72 | 14.31 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 77.5% | 98.7% | 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
76541
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
78040
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 76541 — Killeen, TX · 78040 — Laredo, TX · How this is calculated: methodology