26505 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
35401
26505
Opportunity
35 · Bottom 14%
vs41 · Bottom 23%
Growth
60 · Top 34%
vs47 · Bottom 44%
Climate
73 · Top 37%
vs70 · Bottom 48%
Physical resilience
59 · Top 49%
vs50 · Bottom 42%
Housing affordability
34 · Bottom 3%
vs53 · Bottom 15%
Access
67 · Bottom 10%
vs68 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
11 · Bottom 1%
vs32 · Bottom 11%
Measured values
| Metric | 35401 | 26505 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 43,459 | 37,492 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $29,152 | $45,536 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $18,050 | $34,074 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,084/sq mi | 2,968/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $144,500 | $278,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $951 | $981 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 27.0% | 32.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 5.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | 1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.0% | 55.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 43.5% | 31.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 429 | 7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.9 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -2.3% | 600.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.5" | 43.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 56 mi | 51 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.1 min | 18.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 21.8 | 25.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.79 | 15.13 | 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
35401
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake.
26505
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: 35401 — Tuscaloosa, AL · 26505 — Morgantown, WV · How this is calculated: methodology