35094 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
35022
35094
Opportunity
42 · Bottom 24%
vs52 · Bottom 44%
Growth
46 · Bottom 42%
vs58 · Top 35%
Climate
74 · Top 34%
vs74 · Top 34%
Physical resilience
59 · Top 49%
vs52 · Bottom 45%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 13%
vs98 · Top 13%
Access
92 · Bottom 47%
vs96 · Top 34%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 29%
vs52 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | 35022 | 35094 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,126 | 14,854 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $81,846 | $74,625 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,827 | $37,482 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 360/sq mi | 253/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $258,900 | $234,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,175 | $1,076 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.3% | 76.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.6% | 28.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.2% | 12.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 93 | 98 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.7 | 8.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 31.0% | -26.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 56.2" | 56.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.5 min | 27.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.9 | 42.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.99 | 18.31 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 68.6% | 46.0% | 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
35022
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
35094
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: 35022 — Bessemer, AL · 35094 — Leeds, AL · How this is calculated: methodology