35160 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
35150
35160
Opportunity
22 · Bottom 3%
vs24 · Bottom 4%
Growth
4 · Bottom 1%
vs11 · Bottom 2%
Climate
76 · Top 28%
vs77 · Top 23%
Physical resilience
35 · Bottom 27%
vs38 · Bottom 30%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 19%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
76 · Bottom 17%
vs79 · Bottom 21%
Economic stability
26 · Bottom 5%
vs21 · Bottom 3%
Measured values
| Metric | 35150 | 35160 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,305 | 26,031 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $45,768 | $52,838 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $24,621 | $29,316 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 283/sq mi | 78/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $132,100 | $128,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $756 | $760 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.9% | 65.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.8% | -3.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.9% | 14.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 24.0% | 18.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 31°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 57.1" | 52.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 39 mi | 39 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 27.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.3 | 44.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.21 | 18.95 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 59.8% | 75.3% | 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
35150
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding.
35160
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 35150 — Sylacauga, AL · 35160 — Talladega, AL · How this is calculated: methodology