78589 and 78573 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
78589
78573
Opportunity
36 · Bottom 15%
vs38 · Bottom 18%
Growth
63 · Top 28%
vs74 · Top 10%
Climate
69 · Bottom 46%
vs69 · Bottom 46%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 17%
vs23 · Bottom 17%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 23%
vs91 · Top 30%
Schools
19 · Bottom 9%
vs18 · Bottom 8%
Access
77 · Bottom 18%
vs71 · Bottom 13%
Economic stability
35 · Bottom 14%
vs38 · Bottom 17%
Measured values
| Metric | 78589 | 78573 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 40,231 | 44,809 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $54,285 | $55,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $19,628 | $22,859 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,579/sq mi | 1,222/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $120,400 | $163,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $937 | $1,005 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 79.3% | 66.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 8.2% | 7.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.8% | 16.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 24.3% | 21.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 229 | 293 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.3 | 14.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -36.0% | -1.7% | 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 | 32 mi | 40 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 25.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.2 | 28.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 15 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.38 | 14.54 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 16.2% | 14.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 28.7% | 28.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 92.1% | 91.9% | 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
78589
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave, hurricane, hail.
78573
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave, hurricane, hail.
Full profiles: 78589 — San Juan, TX · 78573 — Alton, TX · How this is calculated: methodology