Baker receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Paducah
Baker
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 23%
vs55 · Bottom 48%
Growth
36 · Bottom 26%
vs44 · Bottom 39%
Climate
73 · Top 36%
vs77 · Top 25%
Physical resilience
44 · Bottom 34%
vs47 · Bottom 39%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 28%
vs91 · Top 29%
Access
71 · Bottom 13%
vs69 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
33 · Bottom 10%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Paducah | Baker | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,845 | 12,253 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $49,915 | $54,750 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,311 | $23,746 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,319/sq mi | 1,453/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $165,300 | $157,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $834 | $993 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.0% | 69.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | 2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.8% | 20.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.3% | 29.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 48 | 9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.8 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -66.2% | 12.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 27°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.3" | 61.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 51 mi | 56 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 16.8 min | 26.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.5 | 33.5 | 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
Paducah
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Baker
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Paducah, KY · Baker, LA · How this is calculated: methodology