Rolla receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Rolla
Sedalia
Opportunity
63 · Top 35%
vs53 · Bottom 44%
Growth
81 · Top 4%
vs54 · Top 43%
Climate
72 · Top 40%
vs68 · Bottom 39%
Physical resilience
75 · Top 31%
vs70 · Top 36%
Housing affordability
83 · Top 47%
vs94 · Top 22%
Schools
60 · Top 39%
vs65 · Top 33%
Access
37 · Bottom 2%
vs40 · Bottom 2%
Economic stability
26 · Bottom 4%
vs45 · Bottom 24%
Measured values
| Metric | Rolla | Sedalia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,287 | 22,003 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $46,204 | $50,990 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,226 | $27,726 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,673/sq mi | 1,464/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $187,000 | $143,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $789 | $877 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 39.4% | 56.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.1% | 0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.6% | 16.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 23.6% | 19.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 176 | 91 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.7 | 4.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 208.8% | -26.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.1" | 36.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 94 mi | 89 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 15.3 min | 16.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 28.2 | 37.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.07 | 13.39 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 42.7% | 48.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 49.1% | 47.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 46.4% | 64.7% | 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
Rolla
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, earthquake.
Sedalia
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave.
Full profiles: Rolla, MO · Sedalia, MO · How this is calculated: methodology