97502 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
97502
97051
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 45%
vs36 · Bottom 15%
Growth
33 · Bottom 22%
vs35 · Bottom 26%
Climate
71 · Top 44%
vs73 · Top 38%
Physical resilience
25 · Bottom 21%
vs32 · Bottom 26%
Housing affordability
77 · Bottom 45%
vs76 · Bottom 43%
Schools
6 · Bottom 1%
vs8 · Bottom 1%
Access
90 · Bottom 41%
vs80 · Bottom 22%
Economic stability
62 · Top 45%
vs55 · Bottom 41%
Measured values
| Metric | 97502 | 97051 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,067 | 17,347 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $83,488 | $85,869 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,857 | $37,847 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 354/sq mi | 302/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $403,300 | $412,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,335 | $1,410 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.3% | 64.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.1% | 6.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.8% | 18.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.6% | 9.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 22 | 7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 0.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -40.5% | -12.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 18.4" | 42.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 26 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.6 min | 32.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.3 | 41.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.99 | 18.44 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 13.5% | 7.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 25.2% | 27.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 78.7% | 70.7% | 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
97502
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
97051
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 97502 — Central Point, OR · 97051 — St. Helens, OR · How this is calculated: methodology