Fulton and Carthage receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Fulton
Carthage
Opportunity
69 · Top 23%
vs65 · Top 32%
Growth
49 · Bottom 47%
vs50 · Bottom 49%
Climate
72 · Top 43%
vs71 · Top 45%
Physical resilience
60 · Top 48%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 17%
vs89 · Top 34%
Access
42 · Bottom 2%
vs68 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
33 · Bottom 10%
vs33 · Bottom 9%
Measured values
| Metric | Fulton | Carthage | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,617 | 15,574 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $51,429 | $51,328 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,045 | $25,235 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,023/sq mi | 1,287/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $155,900 | $146,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $836 | $975 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 48.2% | 53.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.7% | 1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.7% | 22.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.9% | 27.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 16 | 60 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.3 | 3.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.0% | -27.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.4" | 45.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 85 mi | 52 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.0 min | 17.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.9 | 32.2 | 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
Fulton
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Carthage
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, tornado, drought.
Full profiles: Fulton, MO · Carthage, MO · How this is calculated: methodology