Liberal receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Somerton
Liberal
Opportunity
24 · Bottom 3%
vs46 · Bottom 27%
Growth
57 · Top 38%
vs36 · Bottom 25%
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs60 · Bottom 16%
Physical resilience
20 · Bottom 13%
vs46 · Bottom 36%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 12%
vs100 · Top 8%
Access
6 · Bottom 1%
vs0 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 32%
vs54 · Bottom 38%
Measured values
| Metric | Somerton | Liberal | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,574 | 19,316 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $74,015 | $63,706 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,658 | $29,479 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,004/sq mi | 1,607/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $232,600 | $137,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $896 | $900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.7% | 59.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 16.5% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -4.0% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.4% | 9.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.8% | 13.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 30 | 15 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.0% | -25.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 107°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 48°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 3.3" | 21.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 110 mi | 133 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.0 min | 15.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.3 | 30.6 | 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
Somerton
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
Liberal
Elevated or high exposure: drought, wildfire, hail.
Full profiles: Somerton, AZ · Liberal, KS · How this is calculated: methodology