35226 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
35244
35226
Opportunity
72 · Top 18%
vs73 · Top 16%
Growth
66 · Top 21%
vs66 · Top 21%
Climate
74 · Top 34%
vs74 · Top 34%
Physical resilience
53 · Bottom 45%
vs59 · Top 49%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 25%
vs97 · Top 17%
Access
94 · Top 47%
vs95 · Top 38%
Economic stability
84 · Top 6%
vs81 · Top 9%
Measured values
| Metric | 35244 | 35226 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,217 | 38,588 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $113,450 | $124,516 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $58,341 | $57,371 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,602/sq mi | 2,181/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $412,000 | $411,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,472 | $1,499 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.4% | 83.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 62.3% | 69.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.2% | 4.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 691 | 691 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.5 | 7.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 61.8% | 61.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 56.2" | 56.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.6 min | 25.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.2 | 37.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.25 | 13.55 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 28.4% | 35.6% | 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
35244
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake.
35226
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: 35244 — Hoover, AL · 35226 — Hoover, AL · How this is calculated: methodology