77979 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
77437
77979
Opportunity
34 · Bottom 12%
vs47 · Bottom 33%
Growth
29 · Bottom 15%
vs27 · Bottom 13%
Climate
72 · Top 39%
vs81 · Top 17%
Physical resilience
25 · Bottom 21%
vs27 · Bottom 22%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
56 · Top 44%
vs72 · Top 24%
Access
75 · Bottom 16%
vs85 · Bottom 29%
Economic stability
45 · Bottom 26%
vs59 · Bottom 49%
Measured values
| Metric | 77437 | 77979 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,238 | 16,488 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,200 | $77,039 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,271 | $41,161 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 52/sq mi | 48/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $184,700 | $156,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,042 | $865 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.7% | 75.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.2% | 20.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.6% | 9.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 32 | 15 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 1.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -51.5% | -6.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 49.6" | 43.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 46 mi | 25 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.6 min | 21.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.9 | 40.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.07 | 15.39 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 45.1% | 52.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 38.7% | 48.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 72.5% | 65.5% | 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
77437
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
77979
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, drought.
Full profiles: 77437 — El Campo, TX · 77979 — Port Lavaca, TX · How this is calculated: methodology