35601 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
35601
35810
Opportunity
59 · Top 42%
vs58 · Top 43%
Growth
73 · Top 12%
vs79 · Top 5%
Climate
77 · Top 25%
vs68 · Bottom 44%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 41%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 33%
vs81 · Top 49%
Access
92 · Bottom 48%
vs95 · Top 39%
Economic stability
41 · Bottom 20%
vs32 · Bottom 11%
Measured values
| Metric | 35601 | 35810 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 35,449 | 32,843 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $51,429 | $51,233 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,453 | $26,060 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,338/sq mi | 1,167/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $172,200 | $150,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $891 | $1,129 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.8% | 63.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.1% | 22.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.3% | 20.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 271 | 2,108 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.7 | 9.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 67.3% | 87.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 49.5" | 54.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.7 min | 23.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.6 | 37.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 16 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.41 | 17.64 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 63.3% | 66.9% | 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
35601
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
35810
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: 35601 — Decatur, AL · 35810 — Huntsville, AL · How this is calculated: methodology