35128 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
35128
35054
Opportunity
61 · Top 37%
vs61 · Top 38%
Growth
73 · Top 12%
vs73 · Top 12%
Climate
77 · Top 23%
vs77 · Top 23%
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 32%
vs41 · Bottom 32%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs84 · Top 45%
Access
88 · Bottom 34%
vs88 · Bottom 34%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 29%
vs40 · Bottom 20%
Measured values
| Metric | 35128 | 35054 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,546 | 4,593 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $83,990 | $77,929 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,802 | $32,285 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 151/sq mi | 203/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $247,400 | $347,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,246 | $1,064 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 82.8% | 89.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.6% | 24.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.9% | 11.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 113 | 113 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.3 | 8.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 6.6% | 6.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 52.2" | 52.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.4 min | 28.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.0 | 49.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 1 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.98 | 16.16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 61.7% | 57.2% | 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
35128
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding, earthquake.
35054
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: 35128 — Pell City, AL · 35054 — Pell City, AL · How this is calculated: methodology