Carthage receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Carthage
Baker
Opportunity
65 · Top 32%
vs55 · Bottom 48%
Growth
50 · Bottom 49%
vs44 · Bottom 39%
Climate
71 · Top 45%
vs77 · Top 25%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 43%
vs47 · Bottom 39%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 34%
vs91 · Top 29%
Access
68 · Bottom 11%
vs69 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
33 · Bottom 9%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Carthage | Baker | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,574 | 12,253 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $51,328 | $54,750 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,235 | $23,746 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,287/sq mi | 1,453/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $146,800 | $157,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $975 | $993 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.0% | 69.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.0% | 2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.1% | 20.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 27.2% | 29.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 60 | 9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.9 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -27.7% | 12.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.6" | 61.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 52 mi | 56 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.0 min | 26.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.2 | 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
Carthage
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, tornado, drought.
Baker
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Carthage, MO · Baker, LA · How this is calculated: methodology