Signals
West Plains
McAlester
Growth
25 · Bottom 13%
vs26 · Bottom 15%
Climate
73 · Top 27%
vs64 · Bottom 44%
Physical resilience
38 · Bottom 27%
vs36 · Bottom 25%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 46%
vs98 · Top 34%
Access
40 · Bottom 6%
vs50 · Bottom 13%
Economic stability
23 · Bottom 14%
vs15 · Bottom 5%
Measured values
| Metric | West Plains | McAlester | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 40,383 | 43,561 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $50,993 | $55,310 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $27,570 | $29,974 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 44/sq mi | 33/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $173,000 | $156,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $733 | $860 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.3% | 71.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.8% | 20.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.3% | 17.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 28 | 43 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -70.5% | -2.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.3" | 42.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 89 mi | 83 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.5 min | 22.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.3 | 40.6 | 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
West Plains
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, earthquake, cold wave.
McAlester
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, drought.
Your best match
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West Plains
49
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Area Score
McAlester
48
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Area Score
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Full profiles: West Plains, MO Micro Area · McAlester, OK Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology