79424 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
77433
79424
Opportunity
65 · Top 29%
vs71 · Top 18%
Growth
61 · Top 31%
vs70 · Top 16%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs65 · Bottom 38%
Physical resilience
21 · Bottom 17%
vs25 · Bottom 23%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 6%
vs99 · Top 7%
Access
89 · Bottom 30%
vs94 · Bottom 45%
Economic stability
78 · Top 13%
vs70 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | 77433 | 79424 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 116,550 | 53,478 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $143,934 | $97,231 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,876 | $53,505 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,971/sq mi | 1,286/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $409,400 | $296,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,960 | $1,218 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 81.5% | 69.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.6% | 46.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.0% | 9.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 11,337 | 2,109 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 8.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -2.6% | -3.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 43°F | 27°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.8" | 18.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 23 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 39.0 min | 19.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.4 | 39.4 | 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
77433
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, inland flooding.
79424
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, drought, hail.
Full profiles: 77433 — Houston, TX · 79424 — Lubbock, TX · How this is calculated: methodology