26003 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
26003
36582
Opportunity
35 · Bottom 14%
vs34 · Bottom 12%
Growth
34 · Bottom 24%
vs32 · Bottom 21%
Climate
65 · Bottom 35%
vs73 · Top 37%
Physical resilience
26 · Bottom 22%
vs26 · Bottom 21%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
81 · Bottom 23%
vs95 · Top 38%
Economic stability
35 · Bottom 14%
vs42 · Bottom 21%
Measured values
| Metric | 26003 | 36582 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 39,982 | 23,705 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,703 | $64,763 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,424 | $35,781 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 439/sq mi | 297/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $166,100 | $184,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $818 | $889 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.5% | 79.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.0% | 20.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.0% | 17.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4 | 295 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 1.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 100.0% | -45.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 43°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.6" | 60.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 37 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 28.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.7 | 42.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.41 | 18.78 | 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
26003
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
36582
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 26003 — Wheeling, WV · 36582 — Mobile, AL · How this is calculated: methodology