35235 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
35235
38671
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 20%
vs47 · Bottom 34%
Growth
43 · Bottom 38%
vs38 · Bottom 30%
Climate
74 · Top 34%
vs68 · Bottom 42%
Physical resilience
59 · Top 49%
vs57 · Bottom 48%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 49%
vs78 · Bottom 47%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs98 · Top 21%
Economic stability
37 · Bottom 16%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Measured values
| Metric | 35235 | 38671 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,526 | 37,319 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,295 | $61,843 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,084 | $31,156 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,521/sq mi | 1,678/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $194,500 | $189,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,404 | $1,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.5% | 64.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.1% | 22.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.8% | 18.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 591 | 91 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.0 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 33.1% | -54.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 56.6" | 54.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.0 min | 24.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.6 | 33.5 | 2024 ACS 5-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
35235
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
38671
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 35235 — Birmingham, AL · 38671 — Southaven, MS · How this is calculated: methodology