97526 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
86323
97526
Opportunity
18 · Bottom 2%
vs35 · Bottom 14%
Growth
53 · Top 45%
vs51 · Top 48%
Climate
68 · Bottom 45%
vs69 · Bottom 46%
Physical resilience
16 · Bottom 11%
vs15 · Bottom 11%
Housing affordability
57 · Bottom 19%
vs58 · Bottom 21%
Access
75 · Bottom 16%
vs80 · Bottom 22%
Economic stability
48 · Bottom 30%
vs45 · Bottom 25%
Measured values
| Metric | 86323 | 97526 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,666 | 36,036 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $62,603 | $61,019 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,091 | $33,769 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 171/sq mi | 256/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $380,700 | $399,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,258 | $1,144 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 88.0% | 67.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 7.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -4.8% | -0.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.7% | 20.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.7% | 12.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 58 | 147 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.3 | 3.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -18.3% | 2.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 12.8" | 40.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 49 mi | 26 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.6 min | 20.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 54.9 | 46.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.04 | 19.46 | 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
86323
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding.
97526
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 86323 — Chino Valley, AZ · 97526 — Grants Pass, OR · How this is calculated: methodology