Hammond and Ocala 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
Hammond
Ocala
Opportunity
35 · Bottom 13%
vs41 · Bottom 21%
Growth
75 · Top 11%
vs79 · Top 7%
Climate
77 · Top 11%
vs84 · Top 3%
Physical resilience
21 · Bottom 10%
vs22 · Bottom 11%
Housing affordability
84 · Bottom 25%
vs73 · Bottom 14%
Access
76 · Top 50%
vs70 · Bottom 38%
Economic stability
31 · Bottom 21%
vs30 · Bottom 20%
Measured values
| Metric | Hammond | Ocala | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 136,738 | 400,078 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,760 | $61,010 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,792 | $33,539 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 173/sq mi | 252/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $212,900 | $243,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,003 | $1,277 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.3% | 77.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 5.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.8% | 23.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.2% | 14.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,131 | 5,645 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.3 | 14.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 7.4% | -11.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 64.2" | 51.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 44 mi | 57 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.2 min | 28.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.9 | 47.9 | 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
Hammond
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, inland flooding.
Ocala
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, wildfire.
Full profiles: Hammond, LA Metro Area · Ocala, FL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology