35211 and 35020 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
35211
35020
Opportunity
30 · Bottom 8%
vs21 · Bottom 3%
Growth
43 · Bottom 38%
vs46 · Bottom 42%
Climate
74 · Top 34%
vs74 · Top 34%
Physical resilience
59 · Top 49%
vs59 · Top 49%
Housing affordability
63 · Bottom 26%
vs71 · Bottom 37%
Access
98 · Top 21%
vs94 · Top 44%
Economic stability
25 · Bottom 5%
vs17 · Bottom 2%
Measured values
| Metric | 35211 | 35020 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,924 | 24,892 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $34,884 | $35,362 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $24,187 | $20,401 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,505/sq mi | 1,503/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $96,200 | $91,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,030 | $904 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 40.3% | 59.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.6% | 10.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 33.8% | 31.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 591 | 93 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.0 | 3.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 33.1% | 31.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 56.6" | 56.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.9 min | 26.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.7 | 40.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.66 | 18.77 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 78.0% | 78.7% | 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
35211
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
35020
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: 35211 — Birmingham, AL · 35020 — Bessemer, AL · How this is calculated: methodology