35611 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
35055
35611
Opportunity
61 · Top 37%
vs64 · Top 31%
Growth
75 · Top 9%
vs79 · Top 5%
Climate
78 · Top 20%
vs77 · Top 25%
Physical resilience
51 · Bottom 44%
vs61 · Top 47%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 33%
vs90 · Top 33%
Access
79 · Bottom 21%
vs92 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
34 · Bottom 13%
vs33 · Bottom 12%
Measured values
| Metric | 35055 | 35611 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,115 | 29,969 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $58,405 | $57,377 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,813 | $37,278 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 362/sq mi | 260/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $218,900 | $225,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $923 | $856 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.2% | 59.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.6% | 21.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.9% | 18.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 193 | 478 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.0 | 16.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 33.1% | 8.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 31°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 58.7" | 49.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 34 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.2 min | 29.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.2 | 40.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.25 | 17.51 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 35.3% | 58.3% | 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
35055
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake, heat wave.
35611
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: 35055 — Cullman, AL · 35611 — Athens, AL · How this is calculated: methodology