35653 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
35653
38261
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 30%
vs49 · Bottom 38%
Growth
29 · Bottom 16%
vs26 · Bottom 12%
Climate
78 · Top 22%
vs75 · Top 30%
Physical resilience
54 · Bottom 46%
vs43 · Bottom 33%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
64 · Bottom 8%
vs67 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 10%
vs34 · Bottom 13%
Measured values
| Metric | 35653 | 38261 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,481 | 16,385 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $52,600 | $55,876 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $26,438 | $30,444 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 77/sq mi | 93/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $122,300 | $153,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $694 | $761 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.9% | 61.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.8% | 21.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.3% | 19.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 8 | 2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -27.3% | 100.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 27°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 58.7" | 53.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 62 mi | 56 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.9 min | 18.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.7 | 39.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 5 | 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
35653
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
38261
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: 35653 — Russellville, AL · 38261 — Union City, TN · How this is calculated: methodology