Safford receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Safford
Ottumwa
Opportunity
36 · Bottom 12%
vs48 · Bottom 34%
Growth
71 · Top 15%
vs59 · Top 33%
Climate
62 · Bottom 22%
vs59 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
31 · Bottom 25%
vs36 · Bottom 29%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 15%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
45 · Bottom 3%
vs56 · Bottom 6%
Economic stability
45 · Bottom 24%
vs43 · Bottom 21%
Measured values
| Metric | Safford | Ottumwa | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,239 | 25,430 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,647 | $61,103 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,474 | $30,586 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,103/sq mi | 1,583/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $199,800 | $106,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,048 | $921 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.5% | 61.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.4% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.1% | 20.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.1% | 17.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 42 | 46 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.1 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 162.5% | 21.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 100°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 8.0" | 37.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 88 mi | 70 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.1 min | 19.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.0 | 36.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.19 | 15.05 | 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
Safford
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, drought, inland flooding.
Ottumwa
Elevated or high exposure: drought, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Safford, AZ · Ottumwa, IA · How this is calculated: methodology