78573 and 78589 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
78589
Opportunity
38 · Bottom 18%
vs36 · Bottom 15%
Growth
74 · Top 10%
vs63 · Top 28%
Climate
69 · Bottom 46%
vs69 · Bottom 46%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 17%
vs23 · Bottom 17%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 30%
vs94 · Top 23%
Schools
18 · Bottom 8%
vs19 · Bottom 9%
Access
71 · Bottom 13%
vs77 · Bottom 18%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 17%
vs35 · Bottom 14%
Measured values
| Metric | 78573 | 78589 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 44,809 | 40,231 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $55,000 | $54,285 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $22,859 | $19,628 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,222/sq mi | 1,579/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $163,600 | $120,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,005 | $937 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.0% | 79.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.0% | 8.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.9% | 13.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.7% | 24.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 293 | 229 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 14.5 | 6.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -1.7% | -36.0% | 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 | 32 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.4 min | 23.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 28.8 | 31.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.54 | 14.38 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 14.8% | 16.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 28.8% | 28.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 91.9% | 92.1% | 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.
78589
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave, hurricane, hail.
Full profiles: 78573 — Alton, TX · 78589 — San Juan, TX · How this is calculated: methodology