Lake Jackson receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Nederland
Lake Jackson
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 32%
vs52 · Bottom 41%
Growth
29 · Bottom 16%
vs37 · Bottom 27%
Climate
76 · Top 27%
vs79 · Top 19%
Physical resilience
36 · Bottom 28%
vs41 · Bottom 32%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 28%
vs97 · Top 16%
Schools
77 · Top 17%
vs81 · Top 12%
Access
69 · Bottom 11%
vs78 · Bottom 20%
Economic stability
60 · Top 50%
vs57 · Bottom 44%
Measured values
| Metric | Nederland | Lake Jackson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,381 | 27,974 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $77,570 | $90,938 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,703 | $42,090 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,244/sq mi | 1,417/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $208,300 | $250,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,400 | $1,478 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.7% | 61.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.6% | 6.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.2% | 27.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.3% | 11.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 7 | 6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -36.4% | 20.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 44°F | 45°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 62.1" | 45.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 54 mi | 41 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.6 min | 22.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.2 | 35.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.55 | 15.08 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 51.0% | 56.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 52.0% | 54.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 46.3% | 50.4% | 2024-25 school 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
Nederland
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Lake Jackson
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Nederland
61
Your Score
58
Area Score
Lake Jackson
65
Your Score
63
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Nederland, TX · Lake Jackson, TX · How this is calculated: methodology