78573 and 78503 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
78573
78503
Opportunity
38 · Bottom 18%
vs45 · Bottom 29%
Growth
74 · Top 10%
vs73 · Top 11%
Climate
69 · Bottom 46%
vs69 · Bottom 46%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 17%
vs23 · Bottom 17%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 30%
vs84 · Top 44%
Schools
18 · Bottom 8%
vs18 · Bottom 8%
Access
71 · Bottom 13%
vs73 · Bottom 15%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 17%
vs30 · Bottom 9%
Measured values
| Metric | 78573 | 78503 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 44,809 | 22,621 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $55,000 | $53,322 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $22,859 | $28,212 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,222/sq mi | 1,178/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $163,600 | $150,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,005 | $1,110 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.0% | 61.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.0% | 5.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.9% | 25.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.7% | 25.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 293 | 1,445 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 14.5 | 9.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -1.7% | -6.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 99°F | 99°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 53°F | 53°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 22.2" | 22.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 40 mi | 37 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.4 min | 20.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 28.8 | 32.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.54 | 15.73 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 14.8% | 23.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 28.8% | 22.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 91.9% | 90.3% | 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
78573
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave, hurricane, hail.
78503
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave, hurricane, hail.
Full profiles: 78573 — Alton, TX · 78503 — McAllen, TX · How this is calculated: methodology