29624 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
29624
35805
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 44%
vs56 · Top 48%
Growth
81 · Top 3%
vs79 · Top 5%
Climate
73 · Top 37%
vs68 · Bottom 44%
Physical resilience
63 · Top 44%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
71 · Bottom 37%
vs61 · Bottom 24%
Access
88 · Bottom 34%
vs98 · Top 21%
Economic stability
19 · Bottom 2%
vs32 · Bottom 11%
Measured values
| Metric | 29624 | 35805 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,498 | 20,856 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $30,549 | $35,385 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $19,638 | $22,194 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 479/sq mi | 2,269/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $76,900 | $137,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $780 | $909 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.2% | 40.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 3.9% | -1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.9% | 22.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 37.0% | 28.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 281 | 2,108 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.4 | 9.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 9.3% | 87.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.3" | 54.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 26 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.2 min | 21.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.9 | 33.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.68 | 18.52 | 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
29624
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave, earthquake.
35805
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: 29624 — Anderson, SC · 35805 — Huntsville, AL · How this is calculated: methodology