Kingston receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Kingston
Winchester
Opportunity: Kingston is the more favorable of the two.
Opportunity
67 · Top 28%
vs53 · Bottom 46%
Growth: Winchester is the more favorable of the two.
Growth
53 · Top 45%
vs61 · Top 32%
Climate: Winchester is the more favorable of the two.
Climate
60 · Bottom 25%
vs69 · Top 41%
Physical resilience: Kingston is the more favorable of the two.
Physical resilience
71 · Top 26%
vs65 · Top 38%
Housing affordability: Kingston is the more favorable of the two.
Housing affordability
84 · Bottom 24%
vs83 · Bottom 24%
Access: Kingston is the more favorable of the two.
Access
86 · Top 32%
vs66 · Bottom 31%
Economic stability: Winchester is the more favorable of the two.
Economic stability
37 · Bottom 31%
vs69 · Top 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Kingston | Winchester | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 182,601 | 146,386 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,271 | $84,298 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,778 | $43,467 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 162/sq mi | 138/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $352,500 | $355,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,425 | $1,358 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.9% | 72.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -2.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.2% | 29.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.6% | 10.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 600 | 914 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.3 | 6.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 4.0% | -2.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.8" | 39.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 32 mi | 59 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.6 min | 32.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.1 | 41.2 | 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
Kingston
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, cold wave.
Winchester
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Kingston
65
Your Score
67
Area Score
Winchester
67
Your Score
65
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Kingston, NY Metro Area · Winchester, VA-WV Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology