Harrison receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Harrison
Fairfield
Opportunity
76 · Top 13%
vs75 · Top 13%
Growth
79 · Top 5%
vs21 · Bottom 9%
Climate
64 · Bottom 32%
vs64 · Bottom 32%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 12%
vs77 · Top 28%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs97 · Top 14%
Schools
59 · Top 41%
vs34 · Bottom 28%
Access
95 · Top 35%
vs93 · Top 47%
Economic stability
76 · Top 16%
vs67 · Top 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Harrison | Fairfield | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,084 | 44,828 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $100,000 | $77,937 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,748 | $40,668 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,450/sq mi | 2,152/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $229,400 | $234,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,153 | $1,242 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.2% | 63.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.8% | 0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.8% | 30.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.9% | 8.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 135 | 1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.3 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 46.7% | -96.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.4" | 41.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 16 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.1 min | 24.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.1 | 38.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 23.61 | 20.52 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 65.1% | 52.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 67.2% | 54.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 38.0% | 60.0% | 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
Harrison
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Fairfield
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: Harrison, OH · Fairfield, OH · How this is calculated: methodology