Powell receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Powell
Upper Arlington
Opportunity
91 · Top 1%
vs88 · Top 1%
Growth
64 · Top 27%
vs40 · Bottom 32%
Climate
64 · Bottom 31%
vs64 · Bottom 31%
Physical resilience
82 · Top 20%
vs77 · Top 28%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs91 · Top 31%
Schools
80 · Top 14%
vs71 · Top 25%
Access
95 · Top 34%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
73 · Top 21%
vs79 · Top 8%
Measured values
| Metric | Powell | Upper Arlington | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,451 | 36,293 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $195,495 | $155,167 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $85,284 | $84,831 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,485/sq mi | 3,705/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $561,500 | $595,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,194 | $1,588 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 88.0% | 79.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 78.1% | 79.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 1.1% | 3.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 50 | 21 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.5 | 0.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 4.2% | 5.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.8" | 35.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.0 min | 21.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.8 | 40.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.74 | 18.23 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 84.2% | 71.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 84.0% | 74.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 10.4% | 6.7% | 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
Powell
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Upper Arlington
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Powell
81
Your Score
82
Area Score
Upper Arlington
76
Your Score
75
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Powell, OH · Upper Arlington, OH · How this is calculated: methodology