Green Bay receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Des Moines
Green Bay
Opportunity
72 · Top 20%
vs76 · Top 14%
Growth
52 · Top 48%
vs59 · Top 34%
Climate
59 · Bottom 10%
vs57 · Bottom 8%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 12%
vs95 · Top 4%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 12%
vs99 · Top 7%
Access
95 · Top 49%
vs97 · Top 36%
Economic stability
59 · Bottom 45%
vs60 · Bottom 48%
Measured values
| Metric | Des Moines | Green Bay | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 212,421 | 106,253 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,932 | $66,206 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,863 | $35,940 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,409/sq mi | 2,336/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $194,700 | $207,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,090 | $932 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.5% | 57.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.7% | 26.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.0% | 14.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 860 | 437 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.0 | 4.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -37.1% | 2.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 11°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.5" | 31.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.0 min | 20.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.6 | 36.0 | 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
Des Moines
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Green Bay
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Des Moines
74
Your Score
75
Area Score
Green Bay
77
Your Score
79
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Des Moines, IA · Green Bay, WI · How this is calculated: methodology