Baker receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Baker
Mattoon
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 48%
vs58 · Top 46%
Growth
44 · Bottom 39%
vs40 · Bottom 32%
Climate
77 · Top 25%
vs67 · Bottom 38%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 39%
vs41 · Bottom 32%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 29%
vs100 · Top 8%
Access
69 · Bottom 11%
vs69 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 15%
vs35 · Bottom 12%
Measured values
| Metric | Baker | Mattoon | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,253 | 16,586 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $54,750 | $51,597 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $23,746 | $29,738 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,453/sq mi | 1,608/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $157,900 | $97,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $993 | $740 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.9% | 55.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.0% | 0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.6% | 19.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 29.8% | 21.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 9 | 23 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 12.5% | -37.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 61.9" | 36.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 56 mi | 56 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 19.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.5 | 40.8 | 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
Baker
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Mattoon
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Baker, LA · Mattoon, IL · How this is calculated: methodology