79705 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
79424
79705
Opportunity
71 · Top 18%
vs83 · Top 5%
Growth
70 · Top 16%
vs70 · Top 16%
Climate
65 · Bottom 38%
vs63 · Bottom 28%
Physical resilience
25 · Bottom 23%
vs36 · Bottom 29%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 7%
vs96 · Top 13%
Access
94 · Bottom 45%
vs94 · Bottom 48%
Economic stability
70 · Top 29%
vs66 · Top 37%
Measured values
| Metric | 79424 | 79705 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 53,478 | 46,653 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $97,231 | $105,310 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $53,505 | $58,149 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,286/sq mi | 587/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $296,300 | $351,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,218 | $1,433 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.0% | 71.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.4% | 41.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.1% | 10.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,109 | 913 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.0 | 6.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -3.4% | -41.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 27°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 18.3" | 13.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.1 min | 22.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.4 | 32.5 | 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
79424
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, drought, hail.
79705
Elevated or high exposure: drought, hail.
Full profiles: 79424 — Lubbock, TX · 79705 — Midland, TX · How this is calculated: methodology