Signals
Merriam
Florence
Opportunity
57 · Top 48%
vs57 · Top 48%
Climate
66 · Bottom 36%
vs69 · Bottom 45%
Physical resilience
83 · Top 19%
vs84 · Top 18%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 30%
vs90 · Top 32%
Access
91 · Bottom 47%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
77 · Top 13%
vs63 · Top 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Merriam | Florence | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,085 | 32,803 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,600 | $71,003 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,272 | $40,622 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,568/sq mi | 2,935/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $263,300 | $210,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,181 | $1,329 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.7% | 57.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.3% | -0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.6% | 26.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.0% | 9.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 90°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.1" | 45.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 19 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 24.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.3 | 38.9 | 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
Merriam
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Florence
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: Merriam, KS · Florence, KY · How this is calculated: methodology