Signals
Ruston
Huntsville
Growth
60 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 13%
Climate
76 · Top 15%
vs70 · Top 37%
Physical resilience
72 · Top 25%
vs59 · Top 46%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 5%
vs72 · Bottom 14%
Access
57 · Bottom 19%
vs69 · Bottom 36%
Economic stability
16 · Bottom 6%
vs16 · Bottom 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Ruston | Huntsville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 48,174 | 80,209 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $39,172 | $52,324 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,888 | $25,170 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 102/sq mi | 102/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $210,100 | $226,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $825 | $1,031 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.8% | 56.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.2% | 21.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 31.2% | 18.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 214 | 489 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.4 | 6.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 19.6% | -5.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 55.6" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 69 mi | 54 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.6 min | 27.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 28.6 | 37.6 | 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
Ruston
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Huntsville
Elevated or high exposure: drought, hurricane.
Your best match
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Ruston
57
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Area Score
Huntsville
60
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Area Score
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Full profiles: Ruston, LA Micro Area · Huntsville, TX Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology