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
Port Neches
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 41%
vs49 · Bottom 36%
Growth
37 · Bottom 27%
vs54 · Top 43%
Climate
79 · Top 19%
vs76 · Top 27%
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 32%
vs36 · Bottom 28%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 16%
vs99 · Top 11%
Access
78 · Bottom 20%
vs70 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 44%
vs49 · Bottom 30%
Measured values
| Metric | Lake Jackson | Port Neches | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,974 | 13,664 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $90,938 | $81,637 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,090 | $45,472 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,417/sq mi | 1,590/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $250,100 | $253,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,478 | $1,095 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.7% | 70.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.1% | 6.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.8% | 26.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.7% | 13.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6 | 35 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 2.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 20.0% | -14.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 45°F | 44°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.8" | 62.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 41 mi | 52 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 19.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.7 | 41.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.08 | 14.02 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 50.4% | 38.1% | 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.
Port Neches
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.
Lake Jackson
65
Your Score
63
Area Score
Port Neches
62
Your Score
60
Area Score
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Full profiles: Lake Jackson, TX · Port Neches, TX · How this is calculated: methodology