35671 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
35671
78656
Opportunity
72 · Top 17%
vs66 · Top 28%
Growth
73 · Top 12%
vs66 · Top 21%
Climate
77 · Top 25%
vs71 · Top 45%
Physical resilience
61 · Top 47%
vs63 · Top 44%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs86 · Top 40%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs89 · Bottom 38%
Economic stability
68 · Top 34%
vs70 · Top 30%
Measured values
| Metric | 35671 | 78656 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,267 | 2,847 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,163 | $81,346 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $27,727 | $32,747 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 45/sq mi | 100/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $241,300 | $238,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $657 | $1,629 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.6% | 69.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | 0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.2% | 23.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 2.5% | 13.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 271 | 663 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.7 | 9.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 67.3% | -38.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 40°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 49.5" | 31.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.3 min | 30.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 47.3 | 32.5 | 2024 ACS 5-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
35671
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
78656
Elevated or high exposure: drought, strong wind.
Full profiles: 35671 — Decatur, AL · 78656 — San Marcos, TX · How this is calculated: methodology