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
99354
Opportunity
77 · Top 11%
vs72 · Top 18%
Growth
88 · Top 1%
vs83 · Top 3%
Climate
66 · Bottom 39%
vs63 · Bottom 30%
Physical resilience
51 · Bottom 43%
vs47 · Bottom 38%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs86 · Top 41%
Access
44 · Bottom 2%
vs58 · Bottom 6%
Economic stability
54 · Bottom 40%
vs67 · Top 37%
Measured values
| Metric | 79602 | 99354 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,425 | 25,559 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $89,551 | $91,933 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,268 | $46,728 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 225/sq mi | 1,068/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $248,100 | $392,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,211 | $1,371 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.7% | 60.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.3% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.9% | 43.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.4% | 8.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,757 | 790 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 13.7 | 12.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 125.0% | 32.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 25.2" | 7.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 83 mi | 61 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.2 min | 21.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.0 | 34.5 | 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
79602
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
99354
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, heat wave, earthquake.
Full profiles: 79602 — Abilene, TX · 99354 — Richland, WA · How this is calculated: methodology