Fairmont receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fairmont
Pampa
Opportunity
46 · Bottom 28%
vs43 · Bottom 23%
Growth
28 · Bottom 15%
vs20 · Bottom 8%
Climate
74 · Top 32%
vs67 · Bottom 38%
Physical resilience
29 · Bottom 23%
vs23 · Bottom 17%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs96 · Top 17%
Access
58 · Bottom 6%
vs67 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 27%
vs40 · Bottom 18%
Measured values
| Metric | Fairmont | Pampa | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,221 | 16,659 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,032 | $56,626 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,306 | $35,014 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,118/sq mi | 1,847/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $163,800 | $100,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $916 | $934 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.1% | 74.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.9% | 17.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.4% | 17.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4 | 3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.0% | -50.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.8" | 22.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 68 mi | 48 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 18.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.9 | 35.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.75 | 14.75 | 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
Fairmont
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Pampa
Elevated or high exposure: drought, wildfire, hail.
Full profiles: Fairmont, WV · Pampa, TX · How this is calculated: methodology