97355 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
97386
97355
Opportunity
38 · Bottom 17%
vs42 · Bottom 23%
Growth
72 · Top 12%
vs73 · Top 11%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs73 · Top 37%
Physical resilience
31 · Bottom 25%
vs31 · Bottom 25%
Housing affordability
63 · Bottom 26%
vs65 · Bottom 28%
Schools
23 · Bottom 14%
vs31 · Bottom 24%
Access
82 · Bottom 24%
vs79 · Bottom 20%
Economic stability
42 · Bottom 22%
vs47 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | 97386 | 97355 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,225 | 34,292 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $64,669 | $68,595 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,109 | $31,842 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 121/sq mi | 160/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $331,600 | $371,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,303 | $1,292 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.5% | 68.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% | 5.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.7% | 18.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.6% | 14.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 52 | 92 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.2 | 4.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 36.8% | 217.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.8" | 41.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 29 mi | 34 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.8 min | 28.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.3 | 41.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.09 | 19.29 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 21.1% | 21.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 27.5% | 35.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 73.7% | 88.1% | 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
97386
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
97355
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 97386 — Sweet Home, OR · 97355 — Lebanon, OR · How this is calculated: methodology