77401 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
77005
77401
Opportunity
66 · Top 27%
vs66 · Top 27%
Growth
55 · Top 41%
vs58 · Top 36%
Climate
75 · Top 28%
vs75 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
21 · Bottom 16%
vs21 · Bottom 16%
Housing affordability
71 · Bottom 37%
vs86 · Top 40%
Access
93 · Top 48%
vs95 · Top 39%
Economic stability
67 · Top 37%
vs73 · Top 25%
Measured values
| Metric | 77005 | 77401 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,874 | 17,213 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $229,267 | $243,750 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $123,333 | $119,406 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 7,543/sq mi | 4,728/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,395,100 | $1,036,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,181 | $2,672 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.9% | 87.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 87.9% | 83.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.2% | 2.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 41 | 47 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.7 | 2.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 13.9% | 17.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 55.6" | 55.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.0 min | 23.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.9 | 43.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.78 | 18.82 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 6.1% | 43.9% | 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
77005
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, inland flooding.
77401
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 77005 — West University Place, TX · 77401 — Bellaire, TX · How this is calculated: methodology