Winchester receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Harrisonburg
Winchester
Opportunity
60 · Top 41%
vs53 · Bottom 46%
Growth
68 · Top 22%
vs61 · Top 32%
Climate
65 · Bottom 47%
vs69 · Top 41%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 37%
vs65 · Top 38%
Housing affordability
86 · Bottom 27%
vs83 · Bottom 24%
Access
44 · Bottom 9%
vs66 · Bottom 31%
Economic stability
55 · Top 44%
vs69 · Top 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Harrisonburg | Winchester | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 136,992 | 146,386 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,065 | $84,298 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,670 | $43,467 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 158/sq mi | 138/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $309,300 | $355,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,173 | $1,358 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.9% | 72.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.2% | -2.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.6% | 29.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.3% | 10.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,015 | 914 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.4 | 6.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 21.6% | -2.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.0" | 39.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 83 mi | 59 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 32.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.9 | 41.2 | 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.
Your best match
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Harrisonburg
61
Your Score
62
Area Score
Winchester
67
Your Score
65
Area Score
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Full profiles: Harrisonburg, VA Metro Area · Winchester, VA-WV Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology