Jefferson City 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
Jefferson City
Opportunity
67 · Top 28%
vs81 · Top 8%
Growth
58 · Top 37%
vs51 · Top 48%
Climate
70 · Top 37%
vs71 · Top 34%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 33%
vs64 · Top 38%
Housing affordability
90 · Bottom 37%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
9 · Bottom 3%
vs38 · Bottom 5%
Economic stability
78 · Top 16%
vs70 · Top 26%
Measured values
| Metric | Staunton-Stuarts Draft | Jefferson City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 126,822 | 150,437 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,544 | $74,030 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,190 | $36,772 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 127/sq mi | 67/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $284,500 | $217,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,068 | $827 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.2% | 72.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | 0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.7% | 31.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.6% | 9.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 783 | 221 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.2 | 1.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -11.6% | 4.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.6" | 39.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 105 mi | 93 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 22.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.7 | 39.8 | 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
Jefferson City
68
Your Score
72
Area Score
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Full profiles: Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA Metro Area · Jefferson City, MO Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology