35405 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
35405
38305
Opportunity
42 · Bottom 25%
vs51 · Bottom 42%
Growth
60 · Top 34%
vs53 · Top 45%
Climate
72 · Top 40%
vs75 · Top 31%
Physical resilience
59 · Top 49%
vs65 · Top 42%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 40%
vs85 · Top 41%
Access
68 · Bottom 11%
vs61 · Bottom 7%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 46%
vs56 · Bottom 43%
Measured values
| Metric | 35405 | 38305 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 49,420 | 53,488 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $62,301 | $68,977 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,235 | $37,506 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 934/sq mi | 418/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $234,000 | $243,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,061 | $1,249 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.4% | 63.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.3% | 33.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.8% | 13.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 429 | 155 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.9 | 2.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -2.3% | -0.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 29°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 57.3" | 53.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 55 mi | 66 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.1 min | 20.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.3 | 38.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 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
35405
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake.
38305
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 35405 — Tuscaloosa, AL · 38305 — Jackson, TN · How this is calculated: methodology