Baker receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Maryville
Baker
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 47%
vs55 · Bottom 48%
Growth
40 · Bottom 31%
vs44 · Bottom 39%
Climate
59 · Bottom 11%
vs77 · Top 25%
Physical resilience
42 · Bottom 33%
vs47 · Bottom 39%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 24%
vs91 · Top 29%
Access
78 · Bottom 20%
vs69 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 9%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Maryville | Baker | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,428 | 12,253 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $53,352 | $54,750 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $27,215 | $23,746 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,605/sq mi | 1,453/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $189,400 | $157,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $808 | $993 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 46.9% | 69.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | 2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.6% | 20.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 24.4% | 29.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 16 | 9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 77.8% | 12.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.4" | 61.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 39 mi | 56 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 12.8 min | 26.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 25.2 | 33.5 | 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
Maryville
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, heat wave.
Baker
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Maryville, MO · Baker, LA · How this is calculated: methodology