35769 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
35769
35906
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 19%
vs42 · Bottom 24%
Growth
48 · Bottom 45%
vs37 · Bottom 29%
Climate
77 · Top 23%
vs77 · Top 23%
Physical resilience
39 · Bottom 31%
vs41 · Bottom 32%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 30%
vs80 · Bottom 49%
Access
77 · Bottom 18%
vs74 · Bottom 16%
Economic stability
35 · Bottom 13%
vs44 · Bottom 25%
Measured values
| Metric | 35769 | 35906 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 9,908 | 10,446 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $55,687 | $56,420 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,933 | $39,433 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 157/sq mi | 299/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $210,700 | $220,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $759 | $1,048 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.7% | 66.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.1% | 21.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.5% | 10.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 43 | 10 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.7 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -2.3% | -28.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 55.1" | 52.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 38 mi | 45 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.7 min | 29.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.9 | 41.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.28 | 17.91 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 42.4% | 47.5% | 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
35769
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake.
35906
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 35769 — Scottsboro, AL · 35906 — Rainbow City, AL · How this is calculated: methodology