36079 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
35456
36079
Opportunity
32 · Bottom 11%
vs33 · Bottom 11%
Growth
60 · Top 34%
vs41 · Bottom 35%
Climate
72 · Top 40%
vs87 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
59 · Top 49%
vs64 · Top 43%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 48%
vs99 · Top 12%
Access
70 · Bottom 12%
vs77 · Bottom 18%
Economic stability
43 · Bottom 23%
vs32 · Bottom 10%
Measured values
| Metric | 35456 | 36079 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,745 | 9,174 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,574 | $59,405 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,699 | $33,044 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 46/sq mi | 49/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $202,300 | $177,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,157 | $918 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.6% | 72.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | -3.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.5% | 31.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.7% | 16.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 429 | 35 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.9 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -2.3% | 45.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 57.3" | 54.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 52 mi | 44 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.2 min | 23.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.8 | 38.6 | 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
35456
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake.
36079
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, heat wave.
Full profiles: 35456 — Tuscaloosa, AL · 36079 — Troy, AL · How this is calculated: methodology