79106 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
78557
79106
Opportunity
42 · Bottom 24%
vs56 · Top 47%
Growth
70 · Top 16%
vs68 · Top 18%
Climate
69 · Bottom 46%
vs68 · Bottom 44%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 17%
vs34 · Bottom 27%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs93 · Top 25%
Schools
83 · Top 10%
vs75 · Top 20%
Access
73 · Bottom 14%
vs90 · Bottom 40%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 36%
vs44 · Bottom 25%
Measured values
| Metric | 78557 | 79106 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,498 | 26,161 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,441 | $59,493 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $21,631 | $35,034 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 872/sq mi | 3,044/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $163,600 | $174,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $842 | $1,046 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 80.2% | 51.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.0% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | -1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.8% | 28.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.1% | 14.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 126 | 1,196 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.7 | 5.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -16.6% | 2.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 99°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 53°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 22.2" | 19.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 38 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 18.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.5 | 36.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.02 | 15.29 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 52.6% | 60.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 61.2% | 44.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 88.9% | 65.2% | 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.
79106
Elevated or high exposure: hail, drought, wildfire.
Full profiles: 78557 — Hidalgo, TX · 79106 — Amarillo, TX · How this is calculated: methodology