The Neighborhood Vitality Index is a 0–100 score that measures how healthy and thriving a census tract is — based entirely on US Census Bureau data that you control.
One platform. Many decisions. Whether you\'re crossing state lines or crossing the street — know the neighborhood before you commit.
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Home Buyers
You found a house — but what about the neighborhood? Check the NVI score, see if values are rising or falling, and compare nearby tracts before making the biggest purchase of your life.
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Renters
Signing a lease sight-unseen? Check the tract\'s vitality score, income levels, transit access, and vacancy rates. Know if the area is stable, declining, or on the rise before you commit.
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Out-of-State Students
Moving across the country for school? Compare neighborhoods around campus by income, safety proxies, transit access, and housing stability. Pick the right area — not just the closest one.
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Real Estate Investors
Spot emerging neighborhoods before they peak. Momentum classifications show you where gentrification is happening, where values are surging, and where the next opportunity is brewing — backed by Census data, not hype.
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Business Owners
Choosing a location? NVI reveals the economic health of every tract — income levels, population density, vacancy rates, and transit access. Know your customer base before signing a lease.
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Relocating Families
Moving to a new city or state? Compare tracts across counties with hard data — school district proxies, family household rates, homeownership levels. Make the move with confidence, not guesses.
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Urban Planners & Researchers
Six years of historical trend data across 96,000+ tracts. Customizable NVI metrics and weights for your specific research criteria.
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Real Estate Agents
Impress clients with data-driven neighborhood insights. Show them NVI scores, momentum trends, and historical comparisons that go beyond Zillow\'s surface-level data. Be the agent who knows the numbers.
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Transparent Formula
Every metric is visible and adjustable. You choose what matters to you.
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Authoritative Data
Powered by US Census Bureau data — the gold standard for demographic information.
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Historical Trend Data
Six years of annual data (2019–2024) with a 5-year rolling window that grows each year. See how neighborhoods evolved — trends tell a story a single number can't.
US Census Bureau
All demographic, income, housing, employment, and education data is sourced from the US Census Bureau. TractSavvy covers 96,692 census tracts across all 50 states plus Puerto Rico, with 6 years of trend data (2019–2024).
The NVI uses 10 key metrics weighted by importance. Users can customize which metrics are included and how heavily they are weighted.
Median Household Income
Higher household income signals a stronger local economy and greater purchasing power.
Median Home Value
Property values reflect market confidence and investment activity.
Homeownership Rate
Owner-occupied housing percentage. Homeowners tend to invest more in their neighborhoods, driving stability.
Low Poverty Rate
Lower poverty rates score higher. Measures economic health of the population.
Public Transit Access
Percentage of workers commuting via public transit. Higher transit access signals better connectivity.
Low Unemployment
Employment rate as a share of the labor force. Lower unemployment means a stronger local job market.
Low Vacancy Rate
Vacant housing units as percentage of total. High vacancy signals declining demand.
Family Households %
Family households as percentage of total. More families indicate community stability.
Education Level
Educational attainment rate. Higher education correlates with economic mobility.
Housing Stability
Estimated housing stability based on tenure patterns. Long-term residents indicate neighborhood commitment.
Users can enable these metrics in the Customize NVI panel.
Population Density
Population relative to area — signals activity and demand
Rent Affordability
Rent as percentage of household income — lower = more affordable
Housing Age
Median year structures were built — newer = better condition
Vehicle Access
Vehicle ownership as economic mobility proxy
Graduate Degrees %
Master's, professional, or doctoral degrees
Median Gross Rent
Rental market strength indicator
Thriving neighborhood with strong economic indicators across the board.
Healthy neighborhood with solid fundamentals. Minor areas for improvement.
Transitional area. May have mixed signals — some strengths, some concerns.
Showing signs of economic stress. May represent opportunity or risk depending on strategy.
Significant economic challenges. High poverty, low investment, high vacancy.
Every tract is classified by its growth trajectory and NVI score. These categories appear in the County Tract Analysis view.
Areas experiencing rapid reinvestment and rising property values. May signal neighborhood transition.
Neighborhoods on the upswing — still affordable but gaining momentum.
Strong growth with moderate-high vitality. Could stabilize or face affordability pressure.
Well-established, prosperous neighborhoods with sustained fundamentals.
Significant economic stress with declining values.
Prolonged disinvestment and economic hardship.
Does not fit the above classification thresholds.
TractSavvy uses publicly available data from the US Census Bureau. NVI scores are calculated using user-configurable metrics. Scores are intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be the sole basis for real estate, investment, or relocation decisions. Census data is collected through surveys and estimates — it may not reflect real-time conditions. TractSavvy is not affiliated with or endorsed by the US Census Bureau.