Copperas Cove receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Copperas Cove
Harker Heights
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 38%
vs51 · Bottom 39%
Growth
70 · Top 17%
vs44 · Bottom 38%
Climate
69 · Bottom 45%
vs68 · Bottom 42%
Physical resilience
66 · Top 42%
vs80 · Top 25%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs94 · Top 23%
Schools
63 · Top 35%
vs55 · Top 45%
Access
62 · Bottom 8%
vs68 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
59 · Bottom 48%
vs67 · Top 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Copperas Cove | Harker Heights | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 37,947 | 34,128 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $71,225 | $81,190 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,864 | $38,042 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,105/sq mi | 2,184/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $180,500 | $287,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,043 | $1,146 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.7% | 61.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.8% | 30.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.4% | 10.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 371 | 44 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.8 | 1.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -15.9% | -62.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 28.4" | 34.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 61 mi | 52 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.8 min | 26.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.1 | 33.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.43 | 16.87 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 43.8% | 41.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.5% | 45.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 57.4% | 50.6% | 2024-25 school 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
Copperas Cove
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Harker Heights
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Your best match
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Copperas Cove
67
Your Score
67
Area Score
Harker Heights
66
Your Score
65
Area Score
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Full profiles: Copperas Cove, TX · Harker Heights, TX · How this is calculated: methodology