Signals
Badger
College
Opportunity
64 · Top 34%
vs65 · Top 31%
Climate
38 · Bottom 1%
vs41 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
29 · Bottom 23%
vs29 · Bottom 23%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 25%
vs87 · Top 38%
Access
88 · Bottom 36%
vs90 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
71 · Top 28%
vs61 · Top 48%
Measured values
| Metric | Badger | College | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,677 | 11,924 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $97,183 | $83,895 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $54,127 | $47,311 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 284/sq mi | 635/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $310,600 | $297,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,629 | $1,454 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 80.6% | 61.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.5% | 39.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.2% | 6.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 68°F | 73°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | -2°F | -17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 15.0" | 11.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 17.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 32.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 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
Badger
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
College
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Full profiles: Badger, AK · College, AK · How this is calculated: methodology