35040 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
35040
25403
Opportunity
66 · Top 28%
vs57 · Top 44%
Growth
78 · Top 7%
vs79 · Top 5%
Climate
74 · Top 34%
vs69 · Bottom 47%
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 36%
vs49 · Bottom 42%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 27%
vs95 · Top 20%
Access
81 · Bottom 22%
vs75 · Bottom 16%
Economic stability
75 · Top 20%
vs72 · Top 27%
Measured values
| Metric | 35040 | 25403 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,304 | 16,470 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $84,554 | $87,512 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,805 | $43,262 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 248/sq mi | 407/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $232,300 | $298,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,512 | $1,087 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 78.9% | 81.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -2.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.8% | 32.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.9% | 9.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 244 | 233 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 13.8 | 12.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 16.2% | 258.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 56.2" | 39.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 32 mi | 47 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.4 min | 30.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.3 | 37.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.10 | 14.88 | 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
35040
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding, earthquake.
25403
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 35040 — Calera, AL · 25403 — Martinsburg, WV · How this is calculated: methodology