Jonesboro and Joplin receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Jonesboro
Joplin
Opportunity
60 · Top 41%
vs62 · Top 37%
Growth
75 · Top 11%
vs62 · Top 31%
Climate
70 · Top 36%
vs71 · Top 33%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 38%
vs42 · Bottom 32%
Housing affordability
92 · Bottom 43%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
77 · Top 49%
vs67 · Bottom 32%
Economic stability
40 · Bottom 35%
vs51 · Top 50%
Measured values
| Metric | Jonesboro | Joplin | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 135,792 | 203,626 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,738 | $61,901 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,407 | $32,117 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 93/sq mi | 110/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $192,200 | $165,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $929 | $928 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.8% | 67.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.7% | 0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.5% | 24.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.1% | 15.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 993 | 691 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.3 | 3.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -0.1% | -2.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 31°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.5" | 45.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 44 mi | 57 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 21.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.3 | 38.3 | 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
Jonesboro
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Joplin
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, drought, cold wave.
Full profiles: Jonesboro, AR Metro Area · Joplin, MO-KS Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology