Joplin receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Joplin
Tahlequah
Opportunity
63 · Top 35%
vs57 · Top 48%
Growth
67 · Top 21%
vs54 · Top 43%
Climate
71 · Top 45%
vs66 · Bottom 37%
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 36%
vs37 · Bottom 30%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 36%
vs87 · Top 39%
Access
68 · Bottom 10%
vs74 · Bottom 16%
Economic stability
42 · Bottom 20%
vs44 · Bottom 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Joplin | Tahlequah | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 52,593 | 16,935 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $52,097 | $49,581 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,024 | $28,232 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,381/sq mi | 1,327/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $168,300 | $185,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $962 | $835 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.4% | 40.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | -0.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.7% | 34.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.9% | 18.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 257 | 30 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 11.7% | -6.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.6" | 51.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 56 mi | 45 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.2 min | 18.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.5 | 29.3 | 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
Joplin
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hail, drought.
Tahlequah
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, drought.
Full profiles: Joplin, MO · Tahlequah, OK · How this is calculated: methodology