West Monroe receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lewiston
West Monroe
Opportunity
58 · Top 46%
vs50 · Bottom 37%
Growth
45 · Bottom 41%
vs34 · Bottom 23%
Climate
54 · Bottom 2%
vs71 · Top 45%
Physical resilience
84 · Top 18%
vs87 · Top 14%
Housing affordability
78 · Bottom 46%
vs85 · Top 42%
Access
44 · Bottom 2%
vs49 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
44 · Bottom 23%
vs29 · Bottom 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Lewiston | West Monroe | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,324 | 12,729 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $55,393 | $49,386 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,979 | $26,082 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,122/sq mi | 1,586/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $235,100 | $192,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $986 | $826 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.2% | 44.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | 1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.6% | 22.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.0% | 26.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 38 | 13 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -80.3% | -64.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 12°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.0" | 55.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 83 mi | 85 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.4 min | 20.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.3 | 35.4 | 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
Lewiston
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hurricane, drought.
West Monroe
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Lewiston
53
Your Score
56
Area Score
West Monroe
58
Your Score
62
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Lewiston, ME · West Monroe, LA · How this is calculated: methodology