79602 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
79606
79602
Opportunity
75 · Top 13%
vs77 · Top 11%
Growth
88 · Top 1%
vs88 · Top 1%
Climate
66 · Bottom 39%
vs66 · Bottom 39%
Physical resilience
48 · Bottom 40%
vs51 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 21%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
74 · Top 21%
vs82 · Top 11%
Access
46 · Bottom 3%
vs44 · Bottom 2%
Economic stability
66 · Top 38%
vs54 · Bottom 40%
Measured values
| Metric | 79606 | 79602 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,182 | 27,425 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,196 | $89,551 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,942 | $37,268 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 420/sq mi | 225/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $272,600 | $248,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,194 | $1,211 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.0% | 75.7% | 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 | 37.8% | 33.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.9% | 11.4% | 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 | 80 mi | 83 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.5 min | 20.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.3 | 37.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.19 | 13.83 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 54.2% | 56.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 51.6% | 52.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 29.9% | 43.9% | 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
79606
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
79602
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: 79606 — Abilene, TX · 79602 — Abilene, TX · How this is calculated: methodology