West Monroe receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
West Monroe
Roanoke
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 37%
vs41 · Bottom 19%
Growth
34 · Bottom 23%
vs32 · Bottom 20%
Climate
71 · Top 45%
vs77 · Top 24%
Physical resilience
87 · Top 14%
vs75 · Top 31%
Housing affordability
85 · Top 42%
vs87 · Top 39%
Access
49 · Bottom 4%
vs45 · Bottom 3%
Economic stability
29 · Bottom 6%
vs42 · Bottom 19%
Measured values
| Metric | West Monroe | Roanoke | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,729 | 98,355 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $49,386 | $55,378 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $26,082 | $36,576 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,586/sq mi | 2,313/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $192,400 | $190,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $826 | $996 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 44.7% | 52.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.4% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.0% | 30.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 26.3% | 18.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 13 | 263 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 2.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -64.9% | -34.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 29°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 55.1" | 42.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 85 mi | 81 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.6 min | 20.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.4 | 38.3 | 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
West Monroe
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Roanoke
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
West Monroe
58
Your Score
62
Area Score
Roanoke
54
Your Score
56
Area Score
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Full profiles: West Monroe, LA · Roanoke, VA · How this is calculated: methodology