Signals
Monroe
Meridian
Growth
42 · Bottom 37%
vs31 · Bottom 21%
Climate
71 · Top 34%
vs75 · Top 20%
Physical resilience
77 · Top 17%
vs62 · Top 42%
Housing affordability
88 · Bottom 33%
vs90 · Bottom 36%
Access
48 · Bottom 11%
vs48 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
20 · Bottom 9%
vs15 · Bottom 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Monroe | Meridian | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 223,674 | 86,818 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $51,660 | $49,822 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,966 | $28,671 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 79/sq mi | 62/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $170,300 | $128,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $931 | $937 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.0% | 68.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.6% | 22.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 24.5% | 24.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 467 | 39 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 18.5% | 85.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 55.1" | 57.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 84 mi | 82 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 26.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.0 | 40.2 | 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
Monroe
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Meridian
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, hurricane.
Full profiles: Monroe, LA Metro Area · Meridian, MS Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology