Jefferson City receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Grand Forks
Jefferson City
Opportunity
81 · Top 8%
vs81 · Top 8%
Growth
60 · Top 35%
vs51 · Top 48%
Climate
45 · Bottom 1%
vs71 · Top 34%
Physical resilience
63 · Top 40%
vs64 · Top 38%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 49%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
57 · Bottom 18%
vs38 · Bottom 5%
Economic stability
72 · Top 22%
vs70 · Top 26%
Measured values
| Metric | Grand Forks | Jefferson City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 103,628 | 150,437 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,836 | $74,030 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,465 | $36,772 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 30/sq mi | 67/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $242,500 | $217,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $967 | $827 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.3% | 72.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.8% | 31.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.8% | 9.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 272 | 221 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 1.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 30.8% | 4.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | -3°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 21.7" | 39.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 63 mi | 93 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.8 min | 22.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.5 | 39.8 | 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
Grand Forks
Elevated or high exposure: winter weather, hail, cold wave.
Jefferson City
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Grand Forks
67
Your Score
69
Area Score
Jefferson City
68
Your Score
72
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Grand Forks, ND-MN Metro Area · Jefferson City, MO Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology