Tonawanda receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lincoln
Tonawanda
Opportunity
35 · Bottom 11%
vs48 · Bottom 33%
Growth
51 · Top 48%
vs43 · Bottom 37%
Climate
61 · Bottom 19%
vs61 · Bottom 17%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 46%
vs80 · Top 25%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 8%
Access
88 · Bottom 35%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
48 · Bottom 28%
vs53 · Bottom 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Lincoln | Tonawanda | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,281 | 15,030 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,340 | $58,326 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,380 | $36,905 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,126/sq mi | 3,952/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $124,300 | $173,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $828 | $835 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.9% | 73.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.3% | 28.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.0% | 13.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 23 | 27 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.7 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 1050.0% | 58.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.8" | 33.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 27 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.5 min | 24.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.2 | 43.5 | 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
Lincoln
Elevated or high exposure: drought, strong wind, earthquake.
Tonawanda
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Lincoln, IL · Tonawanda, NY · How this is calculated: methodology