Watertown-Fort Drum receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Watertown-Fort Drum
Wichita Falls
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 29%
vs33 · Bottom 11%
Growth
40 · Bottom 33%
vs31 · Bottom 22%
Climate
52 · Bottom 5%
vs55 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
79 · Top 16%
vs65 · Top 38%
Housing affordability
91 · Bottom 39%
vs99 · Top 30%
Access
62 · Bottom 25%
vs68 · Bottom 35%
Economic stability
49 · Bottom 48%
vs49 · Bottom 48%
Measured values
| Metric | Watertown-Fort Drum | Wichita Falls | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 115,040 | 149,358 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,301 | $65,379 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,025 | $34,590 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 91/sq mi | 57/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $188,200 | $157,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,213 | $995 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.7% | 64.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.5% | 24.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.7% | 15.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 270 | 187 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 1.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 37.8% | -9.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 97°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 10°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.1" | 27.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 61 mi | 55 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.6 min | 17.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.7 | 36.6 | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Watertown-Fort Drum
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Wichita Falls
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, drought.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Watertown-Fort Drum
60
Your Score
60
Area Score
Wichita Falls
57
Your Score
55
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Watertown-Fort Drum, NY Metro Area · Wichita Falls, TX Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology