Paducah receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Victoria
Paducah
Opportunity
37 · Bottom 15%
vs40 · Bottom 20%
Growth
21 · Bottom 10%
vs28 · Bottom 17%
Climate
73 · Top 26%
vs73 · Top 26%
Physical resilience
30 · Bottom 19%
vs36 · Bottom 25%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 44%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
89 · Top 27%
vs72 · Bottom 42%
Economic stability
42 · Bottom 38%
vs31 · Bottom 21%
Measured values
| Metric | Victoria | Paducah | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 98,554 | 102,748 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $70,236 | $64,160 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,858 | $37,011 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 57/sq mi | 83/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $208,800 | $168,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,151 | $874 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.9% | 72.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 5.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.0% | 24.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.0% | 15.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 63 | 141 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 1.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -67.2% | -42.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 44°F | 27°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.4" | 50.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 19 mi | 48 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.8 min | 21.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.2 | 43.2 | 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
Victoria
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Paducah
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, strong wind, drought.
Full profiles: Victoria, TX Metro Area · Paducah, KY-IL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology