35603 and 35811 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
35603
35811
Opportunity
72 · Top 17%
vs73 · Top 15%
Growth
73 · Top 12%
vs79 · Top 5%
Climate
77 · Top 25%
vs68 · Bottom 44%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 41%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 10%
vs99 · Top 12%
Access
92 · Bottom 49%
vs92 · Bottom 49%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 46%
vs47 · Bottom 29%
Measured values
| Metric | 35603 | 35811 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,179 | 31,008 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $81,490 | $90,812 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,141 | $43,376 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 453/sq mi | 662/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $247,400 | $281,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $910 | $1,127 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.9% | 77.6% | 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 | 28.3% | 35.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.3% | 12.0% | 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 | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.8 min | 25.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.0 | 36.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.16 | 17.62 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 49.5% | 44.6% | 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
35603
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
35811
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: 35603 — Decatur, AL · 35811 — Huntsville, AL · How this is calculated: methodology