35040 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
25403
35040
Opportunity
57 · Top 44%
vs66 · Top 28%
Growth
79 · Top 5%
vs78 · Top 7%
Climate
69 · Bottom 47%
vs74 · Top 34%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 42%
vs46 · Bottom 36%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 20%
vs92 · Top 27%
Access
75 · Bottom 16%
vs81 · Bottom 22%
Economic stability
72 · Top 27%
vs75 · Top 20%
Measured values
| Metric | 25403 | 35040 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,470 | 19,304 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $87,512 | $84,554 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,262 | $37,805 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 407/sq mi | 248/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $298,500 | $232,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,087 | $1,512 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 81.4% | 78.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.4% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.1% | 34.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.7% | 7.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 233 | 244 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 12.3 | 13.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 258.5% | 16.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.0" | 56.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 47 mi | 32 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.8 min | 35.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.5 | 35.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.88 | 17.10 | 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
25403
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
35040
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: 25403 — Martinsburg, WV · 35040 — Calera, AL · How this is calculated: methodology