Morgantown receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Morgantown
Binghamton
Opportunity
63 · Top 34%
vs51 · Bottom 41%
Growth
39 · Bottom 32%
vs33 · Bottom 24%
Climate
70 · Top 40%
vs60 · Bottom 24%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 38%
vs52 · Bottom 46%
Housing affordability
93 · Bottom 46%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
65 · Bottom 30%
vs75 · Bottom 48%
Economic stability
37 · Bottom 31%
vs32 · Bottom 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Morgantown | Binghamton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 141,323 | 245,242 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $64,640 | $64,590 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,900 | $37,016 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 140/sq mi | 200/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $233,000 | $156,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $967 | $939 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.1% | 67.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.3% | -0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.1% | 29.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.3% | 17.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 22 | 424 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 1.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 37.5% | -2.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 78°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.2" | 42.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 56 mi | 44 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 21.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 40.3 | 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
Morgantown
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Binghamton
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
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Morgantown
59
Your Score
61
Area Score
Binghamton
58
Your Score
58
Area Score
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Full profiles: Morgantown, WV Metro Area · Binghamton, NY Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology