Signals
Liberal
Fairmont
Growth
9 · Bottom 3%
vs16 · Bottom 6%
Climate
60 · Bottom 27%
vs53 · Bottom 7%
Physical resilience
48 · Bottom 38%
vs81 · Top 14%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
0 · Bottom 1%
vs11 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
69 · Top 27%
vs63 · Top 35%
Measured values
| Metric | Liberal | Fairmont | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,486 | 19,780 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,827 | $59,507 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,152 | $37,332 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 34/sq mi | 28/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $136,500 | $163,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $905 | $761 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.8% | 68.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.4% | 23.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.2% | 13.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 15 | 15 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -42.3% | -16.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 7°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 21.1" | 29.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 144 mi | 103 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 15.6 min | 18.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.0 | 43.9 | 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
Liberal
Elevated or high exposure: drought, wildfire, hail.
Fairmont
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: Liberal, KS Micro Area · Fairmont, MN Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology