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populationPopulation Fit

Score

Population Fit

Scores places by how closely their population fits a selected place-size target on a log-scale curve.

Scale0-100

Higher values rank better for this score.

How It's Calculated

Places closest to 100,000 residents score highest, and places 4x smaller or larger score 50 on a log population curve.

Scoring Method

How the ranking is built

Population Fit rewards places whose canonical place population matches the selected place-size target.

  1. 1

    Population is compared on a logarithmic scale so proportional size differences matter more than raw resident counts.

  2. 2

    Places closest to 100,000 residents score 100.

  3. 3

    Places 4x smaller or larger than the target score 50, unless a perfect-fit maximum is set.

Technical details
Score TypePopulation Fit

Computed live from canonical place population and the selected place-size target.

Ranking BasisSingle Score

The top 10 below ignore your blended relocation weights and sort only by Population Fit.

No source details available for this score.

What This Score Means

Population Fit rewards places whose canonical place population matches the selected place-size target.

Statistics Feeding This Score

  • Total population

    Current canonical place population, using Census Population Estimates Program data where available and ACS fallback otherwise.

    Source: U.S. Census Population Estimates Program
  • Target population

    The selected ideal population. Current default is 100,000 residents.

    Source: User preference
  • Half-score ratio

    The population ratio where the score is 50. Current default is 4x away from the target.

    Source: User preference

Source Data

Source: U.S. Census Population Estimates ProgramAnnual Census population estimates for cities, towns, and other local governmental units. Population-size scoring uses these estimates when available and falls back to ACS for Census places not covered by PEP.Source: U.S. Census American Community Survey 5-YearCensus ACS 5-year estimates for housing, income, population, occupation, education, and race/ethnicity inputs at place, county, or CBSA geography depending on the score.

Known Limits

  • PEP does not publish every Census-designated place, so ACS is used as a fallback when no PEP incorporated-place match exists.
  • This uses municipal/place population, not metro-area population, density, urban form, commute sheds, or rural-urban commuting classification.

Top 10 Locations

Ranked by Population Fit.

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