35043 and 35173 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
35173
Opportunity
72 · Top 18%
vs72 · Top 18%
Growth
66 · Top 21%
vs62 · Top 29%
Climate
74 · Top 34%
vs74 · Top 34%
Physical resilience
48 · Bottom 39%
vs54 · Bottom 46%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 10%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
92 · Bottom 46%
vs95 · Top 38%
Economic stability
77 · Top 17%
vs81 · Top 9%
Measured values
| Metric | 35043 | 35173 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,837 | 31,603 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $121,356 | $117,105 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,600 | $49,499 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 343/sq mi | 490/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $366,200 | $345,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,322 | $1,237 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 90.5% | 90.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.6% | 41.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.5% | 2.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 155 | 119 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.5 | 4.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -10.9% | 80.3% | 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 | 18 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.7 min | 30.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.4 | 40.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.05 | 15.93 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 27.4% | 25.5% | 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.
35173
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: 35043 — Chelsea, AL · 35173 — Trussville, AL · How this is calculated: methodology