35212 and 36104 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
35212
36104
Opportunity
34 · Bottom 13%
vs36 · Bottom 15%
Growth
43 · Bottom 38%
vs53 · Top 46%
Climate
74 · Top 34%
vs71 · Top 48%
Physical resilience
59 · Top 49%
vs57 · Bottom 49%
Housing affordability
48 · Bottom 11%
vs55 · Bottom 17%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
29 · Bottom 7%
vs12 · Bottom 1%
Measured values
| Metric | 35212 | 36104 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,160 | 10,535 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $36,633 | $33,823 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,623 | $26,607 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,641/sq mi | 1,008/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $232,100 | $172,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $841 | $777 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 44.6% | 24.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -2.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.0% | 27.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 37.2% | 42.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 591 | 523 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.0 | 2.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 33.1% | 101.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 56.6" | 51.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 1 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.5 min | 15.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.4 | 34.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.60 | 16.17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 81.4% | 56.3% | 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
35212
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
36104
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 35212 — Birmingham, AL · 36104 — Montgomery, AL · How this is calculated: methodology