35640 and 37830 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
35640
37830
Opportunity
71 · Top 19%
vs68 · Top 23%
Growth
55 · Top 41%
vs70 · Top 16%
Climate
77 · Top 25%
vs77 · Top 24%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 41%
vs49 · Bottom 41%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs90 · Top 33%
Access
90 · Bottom 41%
vs84 · Bottom 27%
Economic stability
46 · Bottom 28%
vs48 · Bottom 31%
Measured values
| Metric | 35640 | 37830 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,344 | 33,038 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,620 | $72,269 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,240 | $42,222 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 256/sq mi | 390/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $210,000 | $270,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $801 | $1,131 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 80.1% | 66.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.1% | 40.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.9% | 12.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 44 | 220 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.8 | 6.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -4.3% | -3.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 29°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 49.5" | 59.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.6 min | 23.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.4 | 39.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 8 | 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
35640
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
37830
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 35640 — Hartselle, AL · 37830 — Oak Ridge, TN · How this is calculated: methodology