36869 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
26104
36869
Opportunity
29 · Bottom 8%
vs35 · Bottom 14%
Growth
15 · Bottom 5%
vs32 · Bottom 21%
Climate
70 · Bottom 48%
vs69 · Bottom 47%
Physical resilience
35 · Bottom 27%
vs44 · Bottom 34%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 15%
vs92 · Top 27%
Access
46 · Bottom 3%
vs54 · Bottom 5%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 15%
vs33 · Bottom 12%
Measured values
| Metric | 26104 | 36869 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,805 | 21,518 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $54,331 | $50,061 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,752 | $26,543 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 454/sq mi | 282/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $170,800 | $136,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $828 | $895 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.6% | 60.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.8% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.0% | 14.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.3% | 22.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3 | 69 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -62.5% | -2.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 86 mi | 78 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.5 min | 27.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 46.5 | 39.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.18 | 17.19 | 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
26104
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
36869
Elevated or high exposure: drought.
Full profiles: 26104 — Parkersburg, WV · 36869 — Phenix City, AL · How this is calculated: methodology