82930 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
81650
82930
Opportunity
41 · Bottom 22%
vs54 · Bottom 48%
Growth
44 · Bottom 40%
vs36 · Bottom 27%
Climate
50 · Bottom 1%
vs55 · Bottom 4%
Physical resilience
24 · Bottom 19%
vs50 · Bottom 42%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 40%
vs93 · Top 25%
Access
74 · Bottom 16%
vs68 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
77 · Top 17%
vs57 · Bottom 44%
Measured values
| Metric | 81650 | 82930 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,083 | 14,435 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $81,025 | $81,042 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,614 | $41,884 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 14/sq mi | 15/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $418,200 | $292,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,301 | $847 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.4% | 74.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.6% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.4% | 22.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.0% | 8.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 36 | 17 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.4 | 1.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 2.9% | -29.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 8°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 15.3" | 9.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 49 mi | 60 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.5 min | 19.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.6 | 37.4 | 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
81650
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding.
82930
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
Full profiles: 81650 — Rifle, CO · 82930 — Evanston, WY · How this is calculated: methodology