Muncie and Johnstown receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Muncie
Johnstown
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 38%
vs43 · Bottom 24%
Growth
31 · Bottom 21%
vs19 · Bottom 9%
Climate
68 · Top 48%
vs62 · Bottom 38%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 20%
vs96 · Top 1%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 35%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
66 · Bottom 30%
vs75 · Bottom 48%
Economic stability
37 · Bottom 30%
vs33 · Bottom 24%
Measured values
| Metric | Muncie | Johnstown | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 112,280 | 131,538 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $58,127 | $58,418 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,091 | $34,692 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 286/sq mi | 191/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $139,400 | $121,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $906 | $739 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.5% | 76.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | 2.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.2% | 23.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.6% | 14.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 96 | 59 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.9 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -71.3% | -3.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.3" | 41.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 59 mi | 40 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 24.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.8 | 45.6 | 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
Muncie
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Johnstown
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Muncie, IN Metro Area · Johnstown, PA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology