79602 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
79602
79606
Opportunity
77 · Top 11%
vs75 · Top 13%
Growth
88 · Top 1%
vs88 · Top 1%
Climate
66 · Bottom 39%
vs66 · Bottom 39%
Physical resilience
51 · Bottom 43%
vs48 · Bottom 40%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs95 · Top 21%
Schools
82 · Top 11%
vs74 · Top 21%
Access
44 · Bottom 2%
vs46 · Bottom 3%
Economic stability
54 · Bottom 40%
vs66 · Top 38%
Measured values
| Metric | 79602 | 79606 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,425 | 29,182 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $89,551 | $79,196 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,268 | $42,942 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 225/sq mi | 420/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $248,100 | $272,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,211 | $1,194 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.7% | 53.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.3% | 1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.9% | 37.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.4% | 6.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,757 | 1,757 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 13.7 | 13.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 125.0% | 125.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 25.2" | 25.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 83 mi | 80 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.2 min | 18.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.0 | 34.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.83 | 16.19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 56.3% | 54.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 52.0% | 51.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 43.9% | 29.9% | 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
79602
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
79606
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: 79602 — Abilene, TX · 79606 — Abilene, TX · How this is calculated: methodology