Sandusky receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Salisbury
Sandusky
Opportunity
63 · Top 34%
vs74 · Top 18%
Growth
49 · Bottom 49%
vs49 · Bottom 49%
Climate
76 · Top 14%
vs68 · Top 46%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 33%
vs81 · Top 13%
Housing affordability
91 · Bottom 39%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
50 · Bottom 13%
vs74 · Bottom 46%
Economic stability
53 · Top 48%
vs48 · Bottom 46%
Measured values
| Metric | Salisbury | Sandusky | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 129,736 | 114,575 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,802 | $73,502 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,173 | $43,625 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 187/sq mi | 226/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $241,200 | $207,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,274 | $932 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.1% | 76.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.0% | 1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.4% | 29.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.3% | 11.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 231 | 349 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.8 | 3.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -16.9% | 23.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 28°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.5" | 34.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 83 mi | 49 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.7 min | 23.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.6 | 47.1 | 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
Salisbury
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Sandusky
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: Salisbury, MD Metro Area · Sandusky, OH Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology