Freeport receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Freeport
Baytown
Opportunity
41 · Bottom 19%
vs37 · Bottom 13%
Growth
43 · Bottom 36%
vs44 · Bottom 39%
Climate
79 · Top 19%
vs75 · Top 27%
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 32%
vs25 · Bottom 21%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 35%
vs78 · Bottom 46%
Schools
59 · Top 40%
vs44 · Bottom 40%
Access
74 · Bottom 16%
vs93 · Top 45%
Economic stability
44 · Bottom 23%
vs47 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Freeport | Baytown | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,621 | 85,205 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,134 | $59,910 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,967 | $29,957 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 690/sq mi | 2,104/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $135,900 | $197,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,176 | $1,307 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.8% | 52.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 7.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.2% | 14.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.7% | 18.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4 | 138 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 33.3% | -76.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 45°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.8" | 55.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 47 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.0 min | 27.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.5 | 34.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 29 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.27 | 15.92 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 48.2% | 38.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 35.5% | 36.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 71.6% | 73.8% | 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
Freeport
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Baytown
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Freeport, TX · Baytown, TX · How this is calculated: methodology