35043 and 35080 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
35043
35080
Opportunity
72 · Top 18%
vs72 · Top 17%
Growth
66 · Top 21%
vs57 · Top 38%
Climate
74 · Top 34%
vs74 · Top 34%
Physical resilience
48 · Bottom 39%
vs48 · Bottom 39%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 10%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
92 · Bottom 46%
vs89 · Bottom 38%
Economic stability
77 · Top 17%
vs86 · Top 3%
Measured values
| Metric | 35043 | 35080 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,837 | 20,251 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $121,356 | $118,344 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,600 | $52,888 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 343/sq mi | 439/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $366,200 | $312,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,322 | $1,690 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 90.5% | 91.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.6% | 50.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.5% | 2.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 155 | 53 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.5 | 2.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -10.9% | -5.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 56.2" | 56.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.7 min | 33.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.4 | 35.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.05 | 17.86 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 27.4% | 27.9% | 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
35043
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding, earthquake.
35080
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: 35043 — Chelsea, AL · 35080 — Helena, AL · How this is calculated: methodology