Lubbock receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Levelland
Lubbock
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 48%
vs59 · Top 45%
Growth
36 · Bottom 26%
vs69 · Top 18%
Climate
69 · Bottom 45%
vs65 · Bottom 36%
Physical resilience
24 · Bottom 20%
vs26 · Bottom 21%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs82 · Top 47%
Schools
36 · Bottom 30%
vs67 · Top 31%
Access
81 · Bottom 23%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
42 · Bottom 20%
vs48 · Bottom 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Levelland | Lubbock | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,466 | 264,814 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $58,000 | $60,895 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,343 | $35,237 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,221/sq mi | 1,849/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $140,400 | $212,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $846 | $1,182 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.7% | 51.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.6% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.3% | 35.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.5% | 18.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4 | 2,109 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 8.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -20.0% | -3.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 27°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 18.3" | 18.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 32 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.4 min | 17.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 30.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 79 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.48 | 13.94 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 32.7% | 45.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 31.9% | 45.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 70.0% | 60.2% | 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
Levelland
Elevated or high exposure: hail, drought, strong wind.
Lubbock
Elevated or high exposure: hail, drought, strong wind.
Full profiles: Levelland, TX · Lubbock, TX · How this is calculated: methodology