Kansas City receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton
Kansas City
Opportunity
79 · Top 12%
vs74 · Top 17%
Growth
60 · Top 34%
vs71 · Top 18%
Climate
64 · Bottom 45%
vs72 · Top 32%
Physical resilience
71 · Top 27%
vs76 · Top 19%
Housing affordability
91 · Bottom 39%
vs95 · Top 48%
Access
65 · Bottom 29%
vs85 · Top 34%
Economic stability
82 · Top 11%
vs88 · Top 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | Kansas City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 873,603 | 2,218,142 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $84,587 | $83,460 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,264 | $45,685 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 601/sq mi | 306/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $300,800 | $287,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,365 | $1,249 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.7% | 65.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 3.1% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.5% | 39.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.2% | 10.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,144 | 10,859 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.5 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -3.6% | 13.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.4" | 38.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 64 mi | 29 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.0 min | 24.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.4 | 38.0 | 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
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Kansas City
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton
73
Your Score
73
Area Score
Kansas City
80
Your Score
78
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metro Area · Kansas City, MO-KS Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology