Las Cruces receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Shelbyville
Las Cruces
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 33%
vs47 · Bottom 32%
Growth
69 · Top 19%
vs67 · Top 22%
Climate
75 · Top 28%
vs66 · Bottom 37%
Physical resilience
37 · Bottom 30%
vs22 · Bottom 16%
Housing affordability
72 · Bottom 37%
vs80 · Bottom 49%
Access
81 · Bottom 23%
vs83 · Bottom 27%
Economic stability
53 · Bottom 37%
vs41 · Bottom 19%
Measured values
| Metric | Shelbyville | Las Cruces | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,661 | 114,197 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $55,073 | $55,422 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,611 | $31,140 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,277/sq mi | 1,484/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $244,000 | $231,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,056 | $974 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.7% | 55.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 5.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.1% | 36.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.7% | 22.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 198 | 617 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.0 | 5.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 10.6% | -12.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 29°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 59.4" | 10.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 35 mi | 31 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.8 min | 20.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.8 | 33.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 46 | 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
Shelbyville
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Las Cruces
Elevated or high exposure: drought, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Shelbyville
56
Your Score
53
Area Score
Las Cruces
58
Your Score
55
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Shelbyville, TN · Las Cruces, NM · How this is calculated: methodology