Jefferson City receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Jefferson City
Staunton-Stuarts Draft
Opportunity
81 · Top 8%
vs67 · Top 28%
Growth
51 · Top 48%
vs58 · Top 37%
Climate
71 · Top 34%
vs70 · Top 37%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 38%
vs67 · Top 33%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs90 · Bottom 37%
Access
38 · Bottom 5%
vs9 · Bottom 3%
Economic stability
70 · Top 26%
vs78 · Top 16%
Measured values
| Metric | Jefferson City | Staunton-Stuarts Draft | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 150,437 | 126,822 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $74,030 | $73,544 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,772 | $38,190 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 67/sq mi | 127/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $217,500 | $284,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $827 | $1,068 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.2% | 72.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.7% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.1% | 27.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.9% | 8.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 221 | 783 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 6.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 4.7% | -11.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.7" | 40.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 93 mi | 105 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.6 min | 24.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.8 | 42.7 | 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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Jefferson City
68
Your Score
72
Area Score
Staunton-Stuarts Draft
63
Your Score
67
Area Score
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Full profiles: Jefferson City, MO Metro Area · Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology