Signals
Stillwater
Gaffney
Growth
68 · Top 21%
vs74 · Top 13%
Climate
60 · Bottom 27%
vs72 · Top 29%
Physical resilience
54 · Bottom 49%
vs47 · Bottom 38%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 16%
vs94 · Bottom 47%
Access
72 · Bottom 41%
vs80 · Top 43%
Economic stability
30 · Bottom 20%
vs27 · Bottom 18%
Measured values
| Metric | Stillwater | Gaffney | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 82,972 | 56,647 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $49,809 | $50,288 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,874 | $27,406 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 121/sq mi | 144/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $223,300 | $142,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $917 | $869 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.0% | 73.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.7% | 18.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.6% | 18.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 225 | 268 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.7 | 4.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 54.1% | 29.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.0" | 43.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 50 mi | 39 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.0 min | 27.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 27.7 | 40.4 | 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
Stillwater
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hail, tornado.
Gaffney
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, cold wave, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Stillwater
60
Your Score
—
Area Score
Gaffney
66
Your Score
—
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Stillwater, OK Micro Area · Gaffney, SC Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology