Trenton receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Trenton
Middletown
Opportunity
67 · Top 27%
vs55 · Bottom 48%
Growth
62 · Top 30%
vs78 · Top 6%
Climate
64 · Bottom 32%
vs68 · Bottom 42%
Physical resilience
77 · Top 28%
vs79 · Top 26%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 14%
vs93 · Top 25%
Schools
33 · Bottom 27%
vs22 · Bottom 14%
Access
86 · Bottom 31%
vs87 · Bottom 34%
Economic stability
66 · Top 38%
vs47 · Bottom 26%
Measured values
| Metric | Trenton | Middletown | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,583 | 51,617 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,635 | $57,102 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,931 | $31,456 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,750/sq mi | 1,972/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $234,900 | $164,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,284 | $1,007 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 78.2% | 54.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.7% | 0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.2% | 17.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.2% | 17.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 30 | 387 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 7.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 57.9% | 360.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.4" | 41.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 32 mi | 29 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.9 min | 25.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.4 | 38.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.56 | 18.97 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 47.7% | 41.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 53.9% | 45.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 49.1% | 33.5% | 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
Trenton
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Middletown
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Trenton
69
Your Score
68
Area Score
Middletown
66
Your Score
66
Area Score
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Full profiles: Trenton, OH · Middletown, OH · How this is calculated: methodology