37043 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
97306
37043
Opportunity
68 · Top 24%
vs69 · Top 22%
Growth
74 · Top 10%
vs76 · Top 8%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs75 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
42 · Bottom 33%
vs48 · Bottom 39%
Housing affordability
81 · Top 49%
vs92 · Top 29%
Access
69 · Bottom 11%
vs78 · Bottom 19%
Economic stability
70 · Top 31%
vs79 · Top 13%
Measured values
| Metric | 97306 | 37043 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 34,383 | 58,742 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $101,753 | $95,219 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,220 | $43,778 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,061/sq mi | 542/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $463,100 | $356,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,592 | $1,319 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.3% | 70.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.4% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.8% | 42.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.4% | 4.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,177 | 2,002 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.6 | 11.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 67.7% | -12.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.1" | 47.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 50 mi | 40 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.6 min | 29.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.5 | 36.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 12 | 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
97306
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
37043
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 97306 — Salem, OR · 37043 — Clarksville, TN · How this is calculated: methodology