97071 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
97071
97305
Opportunity
56 · Top 47%
vs52 · Bottom 44%
Growth
67 · Top 20%
vs74 · Top 10%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
44 · Bottom 34%
vs42 · Bottom 33%
Housing affordability
64 · Bottom 28%
vs55 · Bottom 17%
Access
80 · Bottom 21%
vs74 · Bottom 15%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 36%
vs55 · Bottom 42%
Measured values
| Metric | 97071 | 97305 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 33,123 | 45,083 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $70,938 | $66,326 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,233 | $27,458 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 641/sq mi | 955/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $340,800 | $372,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,470 | $1,453 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.9% | 52.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.4% | 1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.0% | 17.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.4% | 19.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 271 | 1,177 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.7 | 6.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -47.1% | 67.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.5" | 40.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 33 mi | 43 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.8 min | 27.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.8 | 31.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.64 | 21.66 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 73.7% | 88.9% | 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
97071
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
97305
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
Full profiles: 97071 — Woodburn, OR · 97305 — Salem, OR · How this is calculated: methodology