Signals
Muscatine
Bellefontaine
Growth
50 · Top 49%
vs47 · Bottom 46%
Climate
59 · Bottom 22%
vs63 · Bottom 40%
Physical resilience
74 · Top 23%
vs71 · Top 26%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
84 · Top 34%
vs80 · Top 44%
Economic stability
71 · Top 24%
vs52 · Top 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Muscatine | Bellefontaine | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 42,559 | 46,089 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,396 | $71,551 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,349 | $38,989 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 97/sq mi | 101/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $182,100 | $203,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $971 | $845 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.9% | 77.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.1% | 18.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.7% | 11.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 128 | 135 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.0 | 2.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 42.2% | 1.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.7" | 35.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 32 mi | 41 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.4 min | 23.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.6 | 41.9 | 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
Muscatine
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Bellefontaine
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, tornado.
Your best match
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Muscatine
73
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Area Score
Bellefontaine
69
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Area Score
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Full profiles: Muscatine, IA Micro Area · Bellefontaine, OH Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology