Groves receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Groves
Orange
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 23%
vs43 · Bottom 23%
Growth
57 · Top 37%
vs66 · Top 23%
Climate
76 · Top 27%
vs76 · Top 27%
Physical resilience
36 · Bottom 28%
vs29 · Bottom 23%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 24%
vs93 · Top 25%
Access
72 · Bottom 14%
vs80 · Bottom 22%
Economic stability
59 · Bottom 47%
vs34 · Bottom 11%
Measured values
| Metric | Groves | Orange | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,976 | 19,177 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,710 | $62,891 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,597 | $33,841 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,256/sq mi | 899/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $163,600 | $164,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,286 | $1,108 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.9% | 59.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.6% | 5.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.9% | 18.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.0% | 15.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 44 | 119 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 6.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 41.9% | -16.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 44°F | 44°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 62.1" | 62.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 50 mi | 37 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.4 min | 25.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.9 | 35.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.72 | 13.64 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 53.5% | 67.7% | 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
Groves
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Orange
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: Groves, TX · Orange, TX · How this is calculated: methodology