Lebanon receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Janesville-Beloit
Lebanon
Opportunity
72 · Top 20%
vs78 · Top 13%
Growth
49 · Bottom 49%
vs43 · Bottom 39%
Climate
57 · Bottom 17%
vs64 · Bottom 44%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 30%
vs79 · Top 16%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 31%
vs99 · Top 32%
Access
81 · Top 41%
vs90 · Top 23%
Economic stability
88 · Top 5%
vs82 · Top 12%
Measured values
| Metric | Janesville-Beloit | Lebanon | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 164,350 | 144,186 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,673 | $78,425 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,536 | $39,628 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 229/sq mi | 398/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $231,600 | $242,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,037 | $1,110 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.2% | 71.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.7% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.8% | 24.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.3% | 10.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 417 | 313 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.5 | 2.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -5.0% | -41.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 12°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.4" | 42.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 35 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.2 min | 23.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.3 | 41.1 | 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
Janesville-Beloit
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Lebanon
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Janesville-Beloit
74
Your Score
71
Area Score
Lebanon
76
Your Score
75
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Janesville-Beloit, WI Metro Area · Lebanon, PA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology