Centerville receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fairborn
Centerville
Opportunity
75 · Top 14%
vs83 · Top 4%
Growth
76 · Top 9%
vs73 · Top 13%
Climate
68 · Bottom 41%
vs68 · Bottom 42%
Physical resilience
93 · Top 8%
vs86 · Top 15%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 13%
vs96 · Top 17%
Schools
29 · Bottom 21%
vs65 · Top 33%
Access
97 · Top 23%
vs93 · Top 45%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 43%
vs63 · Top 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Fairborn | Centerville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 34,534 | 25,205 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,751 | $85,492 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,921 | $50,775 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,370/sq mi | 2,297/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $175,000 | $287,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $977 | $1,270 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.2% | 67.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.8% | 0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.2% | 47.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.7% | 8.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 203 | 283 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.9 | 11.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 128.1% | -10.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.3" | 41.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.7 min | 21.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.7 | 46.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.64 | 19.19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 42.3% | 67.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 49.1% | 70.2% | 2019-20 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
Fairborn
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Centerville
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.
Fairborn
74
Your Score
75
Area Score
Centerville
78
Your Score
79
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Fairborn, OH · Centerville, OH · How this is calculated: methodology