Signals
Brownwood
Rolla
Growth
70 · Top 18%
vs77 · Top 10%
Climate
65 · Bottom 47%
vs71 · Top 34%
Physical resilience
73 · Top 23%
vs75 · Top 21%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 40%
vs94 · Bottom 48%
Access
38 · Bottom 5%
vs39 · Bottom 6%
Economic stability
27 · Bottom 17%
vs24 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Brownwood | Rolla | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,347 | 45,194 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,470 | $58,396 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,180 | $30,712 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 41/sq mi | 67/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $158,900 | $206,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $919 | $798 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.3% | 61.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.2% | 32.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.3% | 16.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 239 | 193 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.2 | 4.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 14.4% | 141.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 97°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 30.6" | 44.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 93 mi | 97 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.4 min | 20.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.8 | 35.8 | 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
Brownwood
Elevated or high exposure: hail, wildfire, cold wave.
Rolla
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, earthquake.
Full profiles: Brownwood, TX Micro Area · Rolla, MO Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology