Signals
Ruston
Stillwater
Growth
60 · Top 35%
vs68 · Top 21%
Climate
76 · Top 15%
vs60 · Bottom 27%
Physical resilience
72 · Top 25%
vs54 · Bottom 49%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 5%
vs74 · Bottom 16%
Access
57 · Bottom 19%
vs72 · Bottom 41%
Economic stability
16 · Bottom 6%
vs30 · Bottom 20%
Measured values
| Metric | Ruston | Stillwater | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 48,174 | 82,972 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $39,172 | $49,809 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,888 | $30,874 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 102/sq mi | 121/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $210,100 | $223,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $825 | $917 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.8% | 51.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.2% | 39.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 31.2% | 22.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 214 | 225 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.4 | 2.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 19.6% | 54.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 55.6" | 36.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 69 mi | 50 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.6 min | 20.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 28.6 | 27.7 | 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.
Stillwater
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hail, tornado.
Your best match
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Ruston
57
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Stillwater
60
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Full profiles: Ruston, LA Micro Area · Stillwater, OK Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology