St. Joseph receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
St. Joseph
Utica-Rome
Opportunity
61 · Top 40%
vs50 · Bottom 39%
Growth
21 · Bottom 10%
vs28 · Bottom 17%
Climate
65 · Bottom 46%
vs58 · Bottom 19%
Physical resilience
79 · Top 16%
vs83 · Top 11%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
97 · Top 12%
vs95 · Top 15%
Economic stability
48 · Bottom 45%
vs40 · Bottom 34%
Measured values
| Metric | St. Joseph | Utica-Rome | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 120,012 | 288,881 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,005 | $69,779 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,044 | $37,763 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 72/sq mi | 110/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $171,300 | $172,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $895 | $925 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.1% | 69.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.8% | 26.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.5% | 15.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 42 | 288 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -44.7% | 5.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 13°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.8" | 43.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.2 min | 23.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.9 | 41.7 | 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
St. Joseph
Elevated or high exposure: drought.
Utica-Rome
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
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St. Joseph
67
Your Score
66
Area Score
Utica-Rome
65
Your Score
64
Area Score
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Full profiles: St. Joseph, MO-KS Metro Area · Utica-Rome, NY Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology