Signals
Effingham
Gainesville
Growth
44 · Bottom 41%
vs35 · Bottom 26%
Climate
67 · Top 49%
vs63 · Bottom 38%
Physical resilience
66 · Top 34%
vs48 · Bottom 39%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs97 · Top 41%
Access
65 · Bottom 29%
vs77 · Top 49%
Economic stability
78 · Top 16%
vs65 · Top 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Effingham | Gainesville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 44,856 | 43,046 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,157 | $73,932 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,201 | $38,914 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 54/sq mi | 49/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $172,400 | $240,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $743 | $1,047 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 79.6% | 71.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.2% | 23.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.9% | 13.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 62 | 44 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.4 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 67.6% | -65.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.0" | 35.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 64 mi | 45 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.2 min | 27.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.7 | 40.5 | 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
Effingham
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake.
Gainesville
Elevated or high exposure: drought, hail, wildfire.
Your best match
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Effingham
70
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Area Score
Gainesville
64
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Area Score
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Full profiles: Effingham, IL Micro Area · Gainesville, TX Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology