35125 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
35125
29118
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 40%
vs43 · Bottom 25%
Growth
73 · Top 12%
vs61 · Top 32%
Climate
77 · Top 23%
vs77 · Top 26%
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 32%
vs35 · Bottom 27%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 14%
vs98 · Top 15%
Access
86 · Bottom 30%
vs83 · Bottom 25%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 10%
vs41 · Bottom 21%
Measured values
| Metric | 35125 | 29118 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,279 | 15,135 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,891 | $64,167 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $26,730 | $33,278 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 238/sq mi | 198/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $183,100 | $176,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $925 | $1,016 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.6% | 64.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 6.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.3% | 35.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.9% | 13.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 113 | 33 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.3 | 2.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 6.6% | 200.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 52.2" | 43.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 27 mi | 29 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.1 min | 29.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.2 | 41.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.61 | 17.01 | 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
35125
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding, earthquake.
29118
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 35125 — Pell City, AL · 29118 — Orangeburg, SC · How this is calculated: methodology