97502 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
97051
97502
Opportunity
36 · Bottom 15%
vs52 · Bottom 45%
Growth
35 · Bottom 26%
vs33 · Bottom 22%
Climate
73 · Top 38%
vs71 · Top 44%
Physical resilience
32 · Bottom 26%
vs25 · Bottom 21%
Housing affordability
76 · Bottom 43%
vs77 · Bottom 45%
Schools
8 · Bottom 1%
vs6 · Bottom 1%
Access
80 · Bottom 22%
vs90 · Bottom 41%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 41%
vs62 · Top 45%
Measured values
| Metric | 97051 | 97502 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,347 | 29,067 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,869 | $83,488 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,847 | $41,857 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 302/sq mi | 354/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $412,100 | $403,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,410 | $1,335 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.5% | 73.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.0% | 6.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.5% | 24.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.6% | 7.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 7 | 22 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -12.5% | -40.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.3" | 18.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 26 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.3 min | 17.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.8 | 43.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.44 | 19.99 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 7.8% | 13.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 27.6% | 25.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 70.7% | 78.7% | 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
97051
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
97502
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Full profiles: 97051 — St. Helens, OR · 97502 — Central Point, OR · How this is calculated: methodology