Cleveland receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Jackson
Cleveland
Opportunity
46 · Bottom 28%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Growth
56 · Top 40%
vs60 · Top 33%
Climate
75 · Top 29%
vs73 · Top 38%
Physical resilience
65 · Top 43%
vs61 · Top 47%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 33%
vs74 · Bottom 40%
Schools
2 · Bottom 1%
vs45 · Bottom 42%
Access
64 · Bottom 9%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Economic stability
39 · Bottom 17%
vs44 · Bottom 22%
Measured values
| Metric | Jackson | Cleveland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 68,435 | 48,829 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $53,032 | $58,559 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,372 | $32,659 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,165/sq mi | 1,570/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $217,800 | $272,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,145 | $1,034 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.2% | 48.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.8% | 30.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.2% | 16.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 155 | 433 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 8.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -0.6% | -33.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 29°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.9" | 55.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 62 mi | 66 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.9 min | 22.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.5 | 36.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 24 | 18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 11.2% | 32.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 14.7% | 32.2% | 2019-20 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
Jackson
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Cleveland
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Jackson, TN · Cleveland, TN · How this is calculated: methodology