Baker receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Beaumont
Baker
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 23%
vs55 · Bottom 48%
Growth
33 · Bottom 21%
vs44 · Bottom 39%
Climate
76 · Top 27%
vs77 · Top 25%
Physical resilience
36 · Bottom 28%
vs47 · Bottom 39%
Housing affordability
87 · Top 38%
vs91 · Top 29%
Access
66 · Bottom 10%
vs69 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
35 · Bottom 11%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Beaumont | Baker | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 113,279 | 12,253 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,997 | $54,750 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,642 | $23,746 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,379/sq mi | 1,453/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $166,400 | $157,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,121 | $993 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.3% | 69.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | 2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.9% | 20.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.2% | 29.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 105 | 9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.9 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -48.5% | 12.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 44°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 62.1" | 61.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 61 mi | 56 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 26.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.3 | 33.5 | 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
Beaumont
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Baker
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Beaumont, TX · Baker, LA · How this is calculated: methodology