Valparaiso receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Valparaiso
Bel Air
Opportunity: Valparaiso is the more favorable of the two.
Opportunity
74 · Top 16%
vs72 · Top 19%
Growth: Valparaiso is the more favorable of the two.
Growth
64 · Top 25%
vs59 · Top 34%
Climate: Bel Air is the more favorable of the two.
Climate
62 · Bottom 20%
vs71 · Top 49%
Physical resilience: Bel Air is the more favorable of the two.
Physical resilience
93 · Top 9%
vs94 · Top 7%
Housing affordability: Valparaiso is the more favorable of the two.
Housing affordability
84 · Top 45%
vs72 · Bottom 36%
Access: Valparaiso is the more favorable of the two.
Access
90 · Bottom 42%
vs86 · Bottom 32%
Economic stability: Bel Air is the more favorable of the two.
Economic stability
51 · Bottom 33%
vs59 · Bottom 46%
Measured values
| Metric | Valparaiso | Bel Air | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 34,733 | 10,585 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,872 | $74,605 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,894 | $46,446 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,026/sq mi | 3,485/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $267,300 | $318,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,224 | $1,492 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.0% | 59.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.6% | 43.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.9% | 13.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 157 | 60 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.5 | 5.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -17.4% | 5900.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.4" | 47.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 21 mi | 30 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.0 min | 30.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.0 | 42.6 | 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.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Valparaiso
75
Your Score
76
Area Score
Bel Air
73
Your Score
74
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Valparaiso, IN · Bel Air, MD · How this is calculated: methodology