78557 and 29118 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
78557
29118
Opportunity
42 · Bottom 24%
vs43 · Bottom 25%
Growth
70 · Top 16%
vs61 · Top 32%
Climate
69 · Bottom 46%
vs77 · Top 26%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 17%
vs35 · Bottom 27%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs98 · Top 15%
Access
73 · Bottom 14%
vs83 · Bottom 25%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 36%
vs41 · Bottom 21%
Measured values
| Metric | 78557 | 29118 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,498 | 15,135 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,441 | $64,167 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $21,631 | $33,278 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 872/sq mi | 198/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $163,600 | $176,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $842 | $1,016 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 80.2% | 64.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.0% | 6.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.8% | 35.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.1% | 13.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 126 | 33 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.7 | 2.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -16.6% | 200.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 99°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 53°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 22.2" | 43.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 38 mi | 29 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 29.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.5 | 41.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.02 | 17.01 | 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
78557
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave, hurricane, hail.
29118
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 78557 — Hidalgo, TX · 29118 — Orangeburg, SC · How this is calculated: methodology