57706 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
99703
57706
Opportunity
56 · Top 48%
vs63 · Top 32%
Growth
32 · Bottom 21%
vs68 · Top 17%
Climate
41 · Bottom 1%
vs54 · Bottom 4%
Physical resilience
30 · Bottom 23%
vs21 · Bottom 16%
Housing affordability
20 · Bottom 1%
vs28 · Bottom 2%
Access
90 · Bottom 41%
vs90 · Bottom 41%
Economic stability
84 · Top 6%
vs84 · Top 5%
Measured values
| Metric | 99703 | 57706 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 8,304 | 2,787 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,667 | $57,162 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $27,399 | $24,521 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 858/sq mi | 454/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,239 | $1,738 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 0.9% | 0.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 2.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.2% | 40.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.9% | 1.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 10 | 73 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 5.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 25.0% | -9.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 73°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | -17°F | 13°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.7" | 17.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 12.2 min | 11.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 22.8 | 21.7 | 2024 ACS 5-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
99703
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
57706
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, winter weather.
Full profiles: 99703 — Fairbanks, AK · 57706 — Box Elder, SD · How this is calculated: methodology