This page explains where every number in a Small City Guide comes from, how it is presented, and what it cannot tell you.
Data sources
| What | Source | Vintage used | Where to check it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population, median age, median household income, median home value, median gross rent, homeownership rate, bachelor’s degree share, poverty rate | U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates | 2019 to 2023 release | data.census.gov |
| Wages by occupation, unemployment | Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, LAUS) | latest release named in the guide | bls.gov |
| Rent benchmarks by bedroom count | HUD Fair Market Rents | fiscal year named in the guide | huduser.gov |
| Mortgage rates | Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey | week named in the guide | freddiemac.com/pmms |
| Fuel prices | AAA Gas Prices | date named in the guide | gasprices.aaa.com |
| Home sale prices | Local REALTOR® association market reports | month named in the guide | linked in the guide |
How figures are presented
Every guide opens with a “city at a glance” box taken directly from the Census release, and each figure in the text names its source and date next to it. Derived numbers, for example a monthly mortgage payment or a price-to-income ratio, show the inputs used so you can recompute them. Rounding is to the nearest ten or hundred dollars, and the rounding is stated.
What is verified, and how
Named places, schools, employers, transit services, fees and events are checked against the organization’s own website or a local news report before publication. The check date is printed in the “How this guide was made” note at the end of each guide. A claim that could not be confirmed is removed rather than left in.
Use of AI
Drafts are written with the help of a large language model. The model does not decide any fact: numbers are inserted from the datasets above, and local facts are checked against primary sources before the guide goes live. Anything the model produced that could not be verified was cut.
Limitations
Census 5-year estimates describe an averaged window, so a fast-moving housing market can be ahead of the data; where that matters the guide pairs the Census figure with a dated market report. These guides are general information, not financial, legal or tax advice, and prices change. Check the source links before making a decision that depends on a number.