Signals
Marion
Lakeland
Opportunity
53 · Bottom 43%
vs46 · Bottom 28%
Climate
68 · Bottom 42%
vs68 · Bottom 40%
Physical resilience
33 · Bottom 26%
vs49 · Bottom 41%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs96 · Top 18%
Access
94 · Top 43%
vs98 · Top 20%
Economic stability
71 · Top 28%
vs76 · Top 14%
Measured values
| Metric | Marion | Lakeland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,623 | 14,192 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,330 | $116,250 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,700 | $56,035 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 672/sq mi | 604/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $212,400 | $388,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,148 | $1,755 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.6% | 79.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.7% | 53.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.6% | 3.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 91°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.4" | 54.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.3 min | 27.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.8 | 41.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 8 | 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
Marion
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Lakeland
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, tornado.
Full profiles: Marion, AR · Lakeland, TN · How this is calculated: methodology