Beacon receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Kiryas Joel
Beacon
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 38%
vs70 · Top 23%
Growth
75 · Top 10%
vs67 · Top 20%
Climate
61 · Bottom 18%
vs62 · Bottom 20%
Physical resilience
75 · Top 31%
vs68 · Top 39%
Housing affordability
12 · Bottom 1%
vs84 · Top 45%
Access
98 · Top 15%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
27 · Bottom 4%
vs69 · Top 31%
Measured values
| Metric | Kiryas Joel | Beacon | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,916 | 14,834 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $50,032 | $107,859 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $14,440 | $58,996 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 26,618/sq mi | 3,130/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $758,800 | $471,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,604 | $1,658 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 33.4% | 61.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 5.7% | 48.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 37.6% | 9.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 366 | 71 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.4 | 4.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -19.9% | 184.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.0" | 41.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.6 min | 41.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 15.7 | 42.0 | 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
Kiryas Joel
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Beacon
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.
Kiryas Joel
57
Your Score
56
Area Score
Beacon
74
Your Score
72
Area Score
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Full profiles: Kiryas Joel, NY · Beacon, NY · How this is calculated: methodology