Stow and Aurora receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Stow
Aurora
Opportunity
75 · Top 14%
vs75 · Top 14%
Growth
42 · Bottom 36%
vs41 · Bottom 34%
Climate
64 · Bottom 31%
vs64 · Bottom 31%
Physical resilience
90 · Top 11%
vs89 · Top 12%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
67 · Top 31%
vs82 · Top 11%
Access
94 · Top 41%
vs88 · Bottom 37%
Economic stability
72 · Top 25%
vs70 · Top 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Stow | Aurora | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 34,240 | 17,581 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $93,727 | $127,886 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,856 | $66,189 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,003/sq mi | 767/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $248,000 | $387,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,212 | $1,799 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.0% | 82.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.0% | 61.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.2% | 3.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 40 | 39 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 2.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 37.9% | -50.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.5" | 32.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 28 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.1 min | 29.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.5 | 48.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.86 | 17.83 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 67.5% | 84.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 68.5% | 82.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 33.6% | 9.9% | 2024-25 school 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
Stow
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Aurora
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Stow, OH · Aurora, OH · How this is calculated: methodology