97351 and 97321 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
97351
97321
Opportunity
62 · Top 34%
vs56 · Top 47%
Growth
27 · Bottom 13%
vs27 · Bottom 13%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs73 · Top 37%
Physical resilience
43 · Bottom 33%
vs37 · Bottom 30%
Housing affordability
73 · Bottom 39%
vs80 · Top 50%
Access
70 · Bottom 12%
vs78 · Bottom 19%
Economic stability
70 · Top 31%
vs64 · Top 42%
Measured values
| Metric | 97351 | 97321 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,454 | 30,672 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $88,519 | $99,416 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,528 | $47,273 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 219/sq mi | 444/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $396,800 | $473,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,672 | $1,364 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.7% | 73.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.4% | 0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.0% | 38.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.7% | 9.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 21 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -100.0% | -32.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.1" | 41.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 48 mi | 37 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 23.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.2 | 40.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.86 | 19.90 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 94.1% | 77.3% | 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
97351
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
97321
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 97351 — Independence, OR · 97321 — Albany, OR · How this is calculated: methodology