Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Huntington-Ashland
Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 19%
vs39 · Bottom 18%
Growth
39 · Bottom 33%
vs29 · Bottom 17%
Climate
75 · Top 18%
vs79 · Top 7%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 12%
vs34 · Bottom 23%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs98 · Top 38%
Access
34 · Bottom 4%
vs67 · Bottom 32%
Economic stability
27 · Bottom 17%
vs38 · Bottom 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Huntington-Ashland | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 370,729 | 202,438 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $60,078 | $64,038 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,619 | $33,746 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 127/sq mi | 88/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $154,700 | $189,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $884 | $1,014 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.6% | 77.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.2% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.5% | 19.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.6% | 16.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 458 | 524 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 2.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 25.8% | -18.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 99 mi | 57 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.7 min | 26.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.9 | 38.8 | 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
Huntington-Ashland
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Your best match
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Huntington-Ashland
48
Your Score
50
Area Score
Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux
55
Your Score
53
Area Score
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Full profiles: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH Metro Area · Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology