Lake Jackson receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lake Jackson
Baytown
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 41%
vs37 · Bottom 13%
Growth
37 · Bottom 27%
vs44 · Bottom 39%
Climate
79 · Top 19%
vs75 · Top 27%
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 32%
vs25 · Bottom 21%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 16%
vs78 · Bottom 46%
Schools
81 · Top 12%
vs44 · Bottom 40%
Access
78 · Bottom 20%
vs93 · Top 45%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 44%
vs47 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Lake Jackson | Baytown | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,974 | 85,205 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $90,938 | $59,910 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,090 | $29,957 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,417/sq mi | 2,104/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $250,100 | $197,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,478 | $1,307 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.7% | 52.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.1% | 7.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.8% | 14.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.7% | 18.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6 | 138 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 20.0% | -76.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 45°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.8" | 55.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 41 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 27.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.7 | 34.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 29 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.08 | 15.92 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 56.9% | 38.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.8% | 36.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 50.4% | 73.8% | 2024-25 school 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
Lake Jackson
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Baytown
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Lake Jackson
65
Your Score
63
Area Score
Baytown
55
Your Score
50
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Lake Jackson, TX · Baytown, TX · How this is calculated: methodology