97520 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
97520
97527
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 48%
vs37 · Bottom 16%
Growth
48 · Bottom 45%
vs51 · Top 48%
Climate
71 · Top 44%
vs69 · Bottom 46%
Physical resilience
25 · Bottom 21%
vs16 · Bottom 11%
Housing affordability
43 · Bottom 7%
vs56 · Bottom 18%
Access
82 · Bottom 24%
vs80 · Bottom 22%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 17%
vs36 · Bottom 14%
Measured values
| Metric | 97520 | 97527 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,512 | 37,330 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,948 | $66,975 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,618 | $38,397 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 81/sq mi | 170/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $580,400 | $429,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,386 | $1,339 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.7% | 72.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.1% | 7.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | -0.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 62.0% | 19.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.1% | 15.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 51 | 147 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.4 | 3.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 6.3% | 2.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 18.4" | 40.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 23 mi | 26 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.4 min | 21.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 48.4 | 47.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.45 | 19.39 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 64.4% | 85.3% | 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
97520
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
97527
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 97520 — Ashland, OR · 97527 — Grants Pass, OR · How this is calculated: methodology