36116 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
35215
36116
Opportunity
32 · Bottom 10%
vs41 · Bottom 22%
Growth
43 · Bottom 38%
vs53 · Top 46%
Climate
74 · Top 34%
vs71 · Top 48%
Physical resilience
59 · Top 49%
vs57 · Bottom 49%
Housing affordability
81 · Top 48%
vs86 · Top 40%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
35 · Bottom 13%
vs38 · Bottom 17%
Measured values
| Metric | 35215 | 36116 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 43,903 | 45,250 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $52,793 | $55,160 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $27,977 | $29,748 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,553/sq mi | 848/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $157,300 | $149,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,148 | $1,103 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.6% | 49.2% | 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 | 19.0% | 32.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.2% | 25.6% | 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 | 7 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.1 min | 24.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.6 | 33.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.22 | 18.30 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 76.8% | 72.0% | 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
35215
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
36116
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 35215 — Birmingham, AL · 36116 — Montgomery, AL · How this is calculated: methodology