89431 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
89431
89502
Opportunity
57 · Top 45%
vs61 · Top 37%
Growth
71 · Top 14%
vs55 · Top 42%
Climate
64 · Bottom 33%
vs64 · Bottom 33%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 18%
vs23 · Bottom 18%
Housing affordability
60 · Bottom 23%
vs54 · Bottom 16%
Schools
29 · Bottom 22%
vs24 · Bottom 15%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
59 · Bottom 49%
vs54 · Bottom 40%
Measured values
| Metric | 89431 | 89502 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 39,833 | 46,691 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,592 | $65,328 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,679 | $34,168 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,316/sq mi | 2,177/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $365,100 | $413,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,348 | $1,361 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 45.5% | 35.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.2% | -0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.4% | 20.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.3% | 17.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,067 | 1,271 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.7 | 4.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 27.9% | -39.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 7.4" | 7.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 3 mi | 1 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.6 min | 20.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.6 | 34.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.38 | 18.24 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 21.3% | 17.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 29.5% | 29.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 100.0% | 90.5% | 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
89431
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, wildfire.
89502
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, wildfire.
Full profiles: 89431 — Sparks, NV · 89502 — Reno, NV · How this is calculated: methodology