26505 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
26505
35404
Opportunity
41 · Bottom 23%
vs38 · Bottom 18%
Growth
47 · Bottom 44%
vs60 · Top 34%
Climate
70 · Bottom 48%
vs72 · Top 40%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 42%
vs59 · Top 49%
Housing affordability
53 · Bottom 15%
vs69 · Bottom 34%
Access
68 · Bottom 11%
vs72 · Bottom 14%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 11%
vs32 · Bottom 10%
Measured values
| Metric | 26505 | 35404 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 37,492 | 22,445 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $45,536 | $48,932 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,074 | $28,483 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,968/sq mi | 1,348/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $278,000 | $197,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $981 | $1,072 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 32.5% | 43.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.6% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.3% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 55.3% | 30.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 31.1% | 24.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 7 | 429 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 3.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 600.0% | -2.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.2" | 57.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 51 mi | 49 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.2 min | 25.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 25.2 | 29.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.13 | 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
26505
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
35404
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake.
Full profiles: 26505 — Morgantown, WV · 35404 — Tuscaloosa, AL · How this is calculated: methodology