37686 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
78656
37686
Opportunity
66 · Top 28%
vs70 · Top 21%
Growth
66 · Top 21%
vs55 · Top 43%
Climate
71 · Top 45%
vs75 · Top 29%
Physical resilience
63 · Top 44%
vs72 · Top 32%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 40%
vs87 · Top 39%
Access
89 · Bottom 38%
vs95 · Top 43%
Economic stability
70 · Top 30%
vs69 · Top 32%
Measured values
| Metric | 78656 | 37686 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,847 | 9,495 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $81,346 | $84,264 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,747 | $43,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 100/sq mi | 322/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $238,100 | $352,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,629 | $1,032 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.2% | 76.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.2% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.9% | 35.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.7% | 5.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 663 | 273 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.4 | 3.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -38.1% | -60.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 40°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.3" | 44.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 22 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.3 min | 26.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.5 | 44.1 | 2024 ACS 5-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
78656
Elevated or high exposure: drought, strong wind.
37686
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 78656 — San Marcos, TX · 37686 — Johnson City, TN · How this is calculated: methodology