79414 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
79414
77587
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 44%
vs37 · Bottom 17%
Growth
69 · Top 17%
vs73 · Top 12%
Climate
65 · Bottom 38%
vs75 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
25 · Bottom 21%
vs21 · Bottom 16%
Housing affordability
75 · Bottom 41%
vs73 · Bottom 39%
Schools
37 · Bottom 31%
vs19 · Bottom 9%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 42%
vs36 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | 79414 | 77587 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,596 | 16,033 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $49,057 | $53,497 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,357 | $21,830 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,549/sq mi | 5,224/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $157,500 | $189,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,148 | $1,212 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 34.6% | 55.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.1% | 10.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.2% | 26.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,109 | 78 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.0 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -3.4% | 271.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 27°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 18.3" | 55.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 15.2 min | 32.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 28.9 | 31.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.84 | 13.63 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 29.8% | 17.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 31.8% | 22.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 85.7% | 88.8% | 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
79414
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, drought, hail.
77587
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 79414 — Lubbock, TX · 77587 — South Houston, TX · How this is calculated: methodology