Joplin receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Carthage
Joplin
Opportunity
65 · Top 32%
vs63 · Top 35%
Growth
50 · Bottom 49%
vs67 · Top 21%
Climate
71 · Top 45%
vs71 · Top 45%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 43%
vs46 · Bottom 36%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 34%
vs88 · Top 36%
Access
68 · Bottom 11%
vs68 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
33 · Bottom 9%
vs42 · Bottom 20%
Measured values
| Metric | Carthage | Joplin | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,574 | 52,593 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $51,328 | $52,097 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,235 | $32,024 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,287/sq mi | 1,381/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $146,800 | $168,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $975 | $962 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.0% | 53.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.0% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.1% | 26.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 27.2% | 16.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 60 | 257 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.9 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -27.7% | 11.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.6" | 45.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 52 mi | 56 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.0 min | 19.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.2 | 38.5 | 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.
Joplin
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hail, drought.
Full profiles: Carthage, MO · Joplin, MO · How this is calculated: methodology