Staunton-Stuarts Draft receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Staunton-Stuarts Draft
Harrisonburg
Opportunity
67 · Top 28%
vs60 · Top 41%
Growth
58 · Top 37%
vs68 · Top 22%
Climate
70 · Top 37%
vs65 · Bottom 47%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 33%
vs47 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
90 · Bottom 37%
vs86 · Bottom 27%
Access
9 · Bottom 3%
vs44 · Bottom 9%
Economic stability
78 · Top 16%
vs55 · Top 44%
Measured values
| Metric | Staunton-Stuarts Draft | Harrisonburg | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 126,822 | 136,992 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,544 | $75,065 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,190 | $36,670 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 127/sq mi | 158/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $284,500 | $309,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,068 | $1,173 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.2% | 62.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.7% | 31.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.6% | 15.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 783 | 1,015 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.2 | 7.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -11.6% | 21.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.6" | 39.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 105 mi | 83 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 21.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.7 | 34.9 | 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.
Your best match
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Staunton-Stuarts Draft
63
Your Score
67
Area Score
Harrisonburg
61
Your Score
62
Area Score
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Full profiles: Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA Metro Area · Harrisonburg, VA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology