New Orleans receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Tucson
New Orleans
Opportunity
22 · Bottom 2%
vs43 · Bottom 22%
Growth
44 · Bottom 40%
vs34 · Bottom 23%
Climate
63 · Bottom 28%
vs78 · Top 20%
Physical resilience
19 · Bottom 13%
vs33 · Bottom 26%
Housing affordability
67 · Bottom 30%
vs55 · Bottom 14%
Access
95 · Top 40%
vs88 · Bottom 37%
Economic stability
44 · Bottom 22%
vs31 · Bottom 8%
Measured values
| Metric | Tucson | New Orleans | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 547,073 | 371,853 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,073 | $56,631 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,537 | $40,662 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,259/sq mi | 2,194/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $266,200 | $315,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,145 | $1,251 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.8% | 51.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.7% | 5.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -4.8% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.1% | 42.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.9% | 22.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,431 | 753 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -2.8% | 19.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 100°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 47°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 10.6" | 60.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.6 min | 24.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.6 | 38.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 202 | 73 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.63 | 13.19 | 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
Tucson
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding.
New Orleans
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Tucson
51
Your Score
43
Area Score
New Orleans
50
Your Score
47
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Tucson, AZ · New Orleans, LA · How this is calculated: methodology