Signals
Forrest City
Elk City
Growth
5 · Bottom 1%
vs8 · Bottom 3%
Climate
68 · Top 44%
vs61 · Bottom 31%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 41%
vs36 · Bottom 24%
Housing affordability
91 · Bottom 39%
vs95 · Top 50%
Access
85 · Top 34%
vs83 · Top 37%
Economic stability
6 · Bottom 1%
vs9 · Bottom 2%
Measured values
| Metric | Forrest City | Elk City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,400 | 22,148 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $42,574 | $53,328 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $22,140 | $26,421 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 35/sq mi | 25/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $90,900 | $143,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $779 | $904 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.5% | 67.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.2% | 12.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 28.5% | 21.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 10 | 1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.4" | 23.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 33 mi | 28 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 17.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.1 | 37.1 | 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
Forrest City
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Elk City
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, drought, wildfire.
Your best match
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Forrest City
51
Your Score
—
Area Score
Elk City
49
Your Score
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Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Forrest City, AR Micro Area · Elk City, OK Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology