81650 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
81650
86004
Opportunity
41 · Bottom 22%
vs31 · Bottom 10%
Growth
44 · Bottom 40%
vs33 · Bottom 21%
Climate
50 · Bottom 1%
vs58 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
24 · Bottom 19%
vs22 · Bottom 17%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 40%
vs55 · Bottom 17%
Access
74 · Bottom 16%
vs86 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
77 · Top 17%
vs55 · Bottom 42%
Measured values
| Metric | 81650 | 86004 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,083 | 36,394 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $81,025 | $81,172 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,614 | $43,358 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 14/sq mi | 40/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $418,200 | $509,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,301 | $1,676 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.4% | 62.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 5.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.6% | -7.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.4% | 44.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.0% | 11.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 36 | 302 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.4 | 4.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 2.9% | -47.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 8°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 15.3" | 20.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 49 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.5 min | 19.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.6 | 38.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.16 | 14.59 | 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
81650
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding.
86004
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Full profiles: 81650 — Rifle, CO · 86004 — Flagstaff, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology