35404 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
35404
37311
Opportunity
38 · Bottom 18%
vs37 · Bottom 16%
Growth
60 · Top 34%
vs60 · Top 33%
Climate
72 · Top 40%
vs73 · Top 39%
Physical resilience
59 · Top 49%
vs61 · Top 46%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 34%
vs67 · Bottom 31%
Access
72 · Bottom 14%
vs51 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 10%
vs36 · Bottom 14%
Measured values
| Metric | 35404 | 37311 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,445 | 30,720 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $48,932 | $47,153 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,483 | $26,309 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,348/sq mi | 613/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $197,500 | $226,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,072 | $932 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.5% | 46.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.3% | 19.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 24.9% | 20.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 429 | 433 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.9 | 8.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -2.3% | -33.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 57.3" | 55.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 49 mi | 71 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 22.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 29.6 | 33.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 10 | 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
35404
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake.
37311
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 35404 — Tuscaloosa, AL · 37311 — Cleveland, TN · How this is calculated: methodology