Sierra Vista receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Sierra Vista
Douglas
Opportunity
24 · Bottom 3%
vs8 · Bottom 1%
Growth
34 · Bottom 23%
vs33 · Bottom 22%
Climate
81 · Top 16%
vs70 · Bottom 46%
Physical resilience
18 · Bottom 12%
vs18 · Bottom 12%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 33%
vs82 · Top 47%
Access
63 · Bottom 8%
vs36 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
48 · Bottom 29%
vs16 · Bottom 1%
Measured values
| Metric | Sierra Vista | Douglas | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 45,155 | 15,981 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $70,291 | $42,019 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,821 | $18,503 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 296/sq mi | 1,601/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $254,200 | $157,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,150 | $772 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.0% | 62.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.5% | 6.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -6.1% | -6.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.0% | 12.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.0% | 27.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 36 | 19 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 1.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 111.8% | 26.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 14.9" | 11.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 53 mi | 96 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.9 min | 25.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.9 | 34.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 18 | 16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.37 | 21.06 | 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
Sierra Vista
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding.
Douglas
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Sierra Vista
51
Your Score
46
Area Score
Douglas
38
Your Score
36
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Sierra Vista, AZ · Douglas, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology