80538 and 80524 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
80538
80524
Opportunity
59 · Top 40%
vs61 · Top 37%
Growth
46 · Bottom 43%
vs62 · Top 30%
Climate
60 · Bottom 14%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 36%
vs68 · Top 39%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 21%
vs55 · Bottom 17%
Access
97 · Top 24%
vs98 · Top 23%
Economic stability
61 · Top 47%
vs62 · Top 47%
Measured values
| Metric | 80538 | 80524 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 50,110 | 40,030 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,671 | $85,035 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,050 | $50,462 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 490/sq mi | 326/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $497,700 | $561,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,760 | $1,697 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.4% | 64.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.4% | 52.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.8% | 14.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 299 | 1,614 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.8 | 9.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -25.6% | 66.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 21.2" | 13.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.3 min | 23.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.9 | 35.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.85 | 15.87 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 36.4% | 43.1% | 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
80538
Elevated or high exposure: hail, wildfire, tornado.
80524
Elevated or high exposure: hail, wildfire, tornado.
Full profiles: 80538 — Loveland, CO · 80524 — Fort Collins, CO · How this is calculated: methodology