78130 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
77304
78130
Opportunity
63 · Top 33%
vs66 · Top 28%
Growth
67 · Top 19%
vs71 · Top 14%
Climate
71 · Top 47%
vs71 · Top 45%
Physical resilience
59 · Top 49%
vs69 · Top 37%
Housing affordability
77 · Bottom 45%
vs76 · Bottom 44%
Schools
74 · Top 21%
vs74 · Top 21%
Access
87 · Bottom 32%
vs86 · Bottom 31%
Economic stability
72 · Top 28%
vs69 · Top 33%
Measured values
| Metric | 77304 | 78130 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 44,225 | 104,009 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,425 | $83,064 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,197 | $42,935 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,103/sq mi | 1,143/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $355,300 | $323,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,426 | $1,659 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.2% | 65.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.7% | 36.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.2% | 7.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,121 | 1,295 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 11.0 | 12.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -40.0% | -17.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 40°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.7" | 31.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 26 mi | 26 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.2 min | 28.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 36.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 26 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.33 | 15.22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 55.7% | 50.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 47.8% | 51.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 58.9% | 39.1% | 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
77304
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
78130
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 77304 — Conroe, TX · 78130 — New Braunfels, TX · How this is calculated: methodology