Ferguson receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Ferguson
Jennings
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 48%
vs49 · Bottom 34%
Growth
18 · Bottom 6%
vs18 · Bottom 7%
Climate
68 · Bottom 39%
vs68 · Bottom 39%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 41%
vs67 · Top 41%
Housing affordability
76 · Bottom 43%
vs73 · Bottom 39%
Schools
12 · Bottom 3%
vs13 · Bottom 4%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 13%
vs22 · Bottom 2%
Measured values
| Metric | Ferguson | Jennings | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,213 | 12,918 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $47,524 | $38,984 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,842 | $22,364 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,952/sq mi | 3,460/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $109,900 | $68,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,119 | $961 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 48.2% | 45.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.2% | 0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.3% | 10.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 24.2% | 25.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.7" | 41.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.0 min | 27.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.5 | 39.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.14 | 15.68 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 4.1% | 7.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 14.6% | 15.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 81.4% | 90.6% | 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
Ferguson
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Jennings
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Ferguson, MO · Jennings, MO · How this is calculated: methodology