Gahanna receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Westerville
Gahanna
Opportunity
84 · Top 5%
vs84 · Top 4%
Growth
47 · Bottom 45%
vs78 · Top 6%
Climate
64 · Bottom 32%
vs68 · Bottom 42%
Physical resilience
79 · Top 26%
vs77 · Top 28%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 13%
vs98 · Top 9%
Access
99 · Top 11%
vs99 · Top 11%
Economic stability
71 · Top 25%
vs77 · Top 10%
Measured values
| Metric | Westerville | Gahanna | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,645 | 35,486 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $109,404 | $109,061 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,858 | $54,374 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,067/sq mi | 2,854/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $374,500 | $350,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,364 | $1,466 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.5% | 70.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57.9% | 51.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.6% | 5.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 37 | 359 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 10.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 2.8% | 8875.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.8" | 41.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 3 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 21.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.7 | 38.8 | 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
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Westerville
77
Your Score
77
Area Score
Gahanna
83
Your Score
83
Area Score
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Full profiles: Westerville, OH · Gahanna, OH · How this is calculated: methodology