Signals
Tahlequah
Poplar Bluff
Growth
38 · Bottom 30%
vs46 · Bottom 44%
Climate
64 · Bottom 43%
vs75 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
36 · Bottom 25%
vs28 · Bottom 17%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 43%
vs98 · Top 39%
Access
74 · Bottom 45%
vs64 · Bottom 28%
Economic stability
23 · Bottom 13%
vs19 · Bottom 9%
Measured values
| Metric | Tahlequah | Poplar Bluff | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 47,942 | 42,020 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $53,218 | $49,089 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,253 | $27,431 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 64/sq mi | 60/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $168,500 | $145,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $831 | $780 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.7% | 64.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.2% | 15.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.2% | 20.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 30 | 58 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 1.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -6.3% | 222.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 28°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.2" | 50.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 46 mi | 58 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.4 min | 21.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.3 | 39.5 | 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
Tahlequah
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, drought.
Poplar Bluff
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
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Tahlequah
55
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Area Score
Poplar Bluff
55
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Area Score
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Full profiles: Tahlequah, OK Micro Area · Poplar Bluff, MO Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology