25401 and 35404 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
25401
35404
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 28%
vs38 · Bottom 18%
Growth
79 · Top 5%
vs60 · Top 34%
Climate
69 · Bottom 47%
vs72 · Top 40%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 42%
vs59 · Top 49%
Housing affordability
67 · Bottom 31%
vs69 · Bottom 34%
Access
76 · Bottom 17%
vs72 · Bottom 14%
Economic stability
49 · Bottom 31%
vs32 · Bottom 10%
Measured values
| Metric | 25401 | 35404 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,979 | 22,445 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $51,909 | $48,932 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,131 | $28,483 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,561/sq mi | 1,348/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $229,200 | $197,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,101 | $1,072 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.6% | 43.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.4% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.8% | 30.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.5% | 24.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 233 | 429 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 12.3 | 3.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 258.5% | -2.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.0" | 57.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 45 mi | 49 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 25.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.3 | 29.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.53 | 15.71 | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
25401
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
35404
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake.
Full profiles: 25401 — Martinsburg, WV · 35404 — Tuscaloosa, AL · How this is calculated: methodology