35611 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
35611
35055
Opportunity
64 · Top 31%
vs61 · Top 37%
Growth
79 · Top 5%
vs75 · Top 9%
Climate
77 · Top 25%
vs78 · Top 20%
Physical resilience
61 · Top 47%
vs51 · Bottom 44%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 33%
vs89 · Top 33%
Access
92 · Bottom 47%
vs79 · Bottom 21%
Economic stability
33 · Bottom 12%
vs34 · Bottom 13%
Measured values
| Metric | 35611 | 35055 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,969 | 23,115 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,377 | $58,405 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,278 | $31,813 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 260/sq mi | 362/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $225,600 | $218,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $856 | $923 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.6% | 64.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.9% | 27.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.5% | 19.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 478 | 193 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 16.5 | 10.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 8.4% | 33.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 49.5" | 58.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 34 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.7 min | 24.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.5 | 41.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.51 | 16.25 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 58.3% | 35.3% | 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
35611
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
35055
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake, heat wave.
Full profiles: 35611 — Athens, AL · 35055 — Cullman, AL · How this is calculated: methodology