Signals
McAlester
Malvern
Growth
26 · Bottom 15%
vs14 · Bottom 5%
Climate
64 · Bottom 44%
vs66 · Bottom 48%
Physical resilience
36 · Bottom 25%
vs30 · Bottom 20%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 34%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
50 · Bottom 13%
vs65 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
15 · Bottom 5%
vs26 · Bottom 16%
Measured values
| Metric | McAlester | Malvern | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 43,561 | 33,180 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $55,310 | $55,405 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,974 | $27,188 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 33/sq mi | 54/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $156,900 | $151,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $860 | $768 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.4% | 76.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.2% | 17.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.7% | 15.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 43 | 2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -2.3% | -71.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.6" | 52.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 83 mi | 50 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.6 min | 31.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.6 | 43.1 | 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
McAlester
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, drought.
Malvern
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, lightning, hail.
Full profiles: McAlester, OK Micro Area · Malvern, AR Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology