This page explains where the numbers in our city guides come from and how we present them, so you can trust and verify them.
Primary data source
Demographic and economic figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau, 2019 to 2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. We use the 5-Year estimates (not 1-Year) because they cover small cities reliably. The specific measures we report per city include:
- Population and median age
- Median household income
- Median home value and median gross rent
- Homeownership rate
- Share of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher
- Poverty rate and unemployment rate
How we present figures
- Each guide includes a “city at a glance” box drawn directly from the Census release.
- Cost estimates combine these official figures with current local listings and are rounded for readability.
- Comparisons (for example, price-to-income ratios) are calculated from the same underlying Census figures.
- Every guide shows the source and a “last reviewed” date.
Limitations
Census 5-Year estimates represent an averaged window, so fast-moving local markets can shift faster than the data. We note this where it matters and refresh guides as new data is released. Our guides are general information, not financial advice.