Harrisburg-Carlisle and Kansas City 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
Harrisburg-Carlisle
Kansas City
Opportunity
81 · Top 7%
vs74 · Top 17%
Growth
64 · Top 27%
vs71 · Top 18%
Climate
70 · Top 37%
vs72 · Top 32%
Physical resilience
75 · Top 22%
vs76 · Top 19%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 34%
vs95 · Top 48%
Access
92 · Top 21%
vs85 · Top 34%
Economic stability
84 · Top 9%
vs88 · Top 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Harrisburg-Carlisle | Kansas City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 604,155 | 2,218,142 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,919 | $83,460 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,785 | $45,685 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 373/sq mi | 306/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $253,100 | $287,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,212 | $1,249 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.0% | 65.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.7% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.8% | 39.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.1% | 10.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,549 | 10,859 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 23.2% | 13.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.0" | 38.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 29 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 24.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.1 | 38.0 | 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
Harrisburg-Carlisle
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Kansas City
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Harrisburg-Carlisle
81
Your Score
79
Area Score
Kansas City
80
Your Score
78
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA Metro Area · Kansas City, MO-KS Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology