26505 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
26505
36867
Opportunity
41 · Bottom 23%
vs41 · Bottom 22%
Growth
47 · Bottom 44%
vs32 · Bottom 21%
Climate
70 · Bottom 48%
vs72 · Top 43%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 42%
vs53 · Bottom 45%
Housing affordability
53 · Bottom 15%
vs69 · Bottom 34%
Access
68 · Bottom 11%
vs52 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 11%
vs27 · Bottom 6%
Measured values
| Metric | 26505 | 36867 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 37,492 | 22,821 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $45,536 | $48,026 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,074 | $31,166 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,968/sq mi | 1,816/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $278,000 | $207,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $981 | $996 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 32.5% | 48.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.6% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.3% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 55.3% | 28.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 31.1% | 25.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 7 | 69 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 600.0% | -2.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.2" | 48.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 51 mi | 81 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.2 min | 24.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 25.2 | 36.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.13 | 16.72 | 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.
36867
Elevated or high exposure: drought.
Full profiles: 26505 — Morgantown, WV · 36867 — Phenix City, AL · How this is calculated: methodology