The Faith Opportunity Score (FOS) is a 0–10 index designed to compare ministry
opportunity across U.S. cities using consistent demographic and economic indicators.
Six Core Inputs & Weights
- Population Growth (30%) – Captures openness and movement.
- Young Adults 20–44 (20%) – Most responsive demographic.
- Underserved Indicator (20%) – Based on churches per 10k residents:
- 0–4 → High Need (Score 10)
- 5–8 → Medium Need (Score 6)
- 9+ → Low Need (Score 2)
- Affordability Index (15%) – Lower home values yield higher affordability scores.
- Median Income Stability (10%) – Reflects community sustainability.
- University / Military Influence (5%) – Presence of major institutions increases relational openness.
How the FOS Is Scored
All six factors are normalized on a 0–10 scale using state-level ranges. The
final FOS is a weighted combination of these normalized values.
Exact formulas remain proprietary to preserve system integrity.
Data Imputation (When City Data Is Missing)
- Growth % – Estimated from county or MSA growth rates.
- Age 20–44 % – Borrowed from regional county/MSA ratios.
- Median Home Value – Estimated using county MV and calibrated ratios.
- Underserved Indicator – Approximated from county-level church density.
These assumptions allow consistent scaling to hundreds of cities.
Purpose of the FOS
The FOS clarifies why certain cities rise to the top based on the data. It is
not a recommendation engine—it supports leadership discernment by providing a
neutral, repeatable analytical framework.
Disclaimer. The Faith Opportunity Score (FOS) and all related
charts and rankings are provided for informational and research purposes only.
They are based on public data, estimates, and modeling assumptions that may
change over time and may contain inaccuracies or omissions. The FOS does not
constitute financial, legal, real estate, or ministry advice and should not be
relied on as the sole basis for site selection, investment decisions, or
strategic planning. Users should perform their own independent verification,
due diligence, and consult appropriate professional and pastoral counsel before
acting on any insights from this tool.
© 2025 JD Business Consulting LLC. All rights reserved.