Valdosta receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Valdosta
Jackson
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 33%
vs50 · Bottom 39%
Growth
60 · Top 34%
vs56 · Top 40%
Climate
76 · Top 14%
vs73 · Top 29%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 42%
vs46 · Bottom 36%
Housing affordability
86 · Bottom 28%
vs91 · Bottom 38%
Access
98 · Top 7%
vs95 · Top 17%
Economic stability
31 · Bottom 22%
vs36 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Valdosta | Jackson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 150,188 | 611,324 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,085 | $61,644 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,036 | $34,708 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 93/sq mi | 102/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $201,300 | $200,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,025 | $1,072 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.8% | 67.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.5% | 32.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.2% | 17.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 871 | 1,979 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.8 | 3.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -4.0% | 86.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.4" | 51.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 26.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.2 | 38.4 | 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
Valdosta
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, cold wave.
Jackson
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, strong wind.
Full profiles: Valdosta, GA Metro Area · Jackson, MS Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology