35904 and 35901 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
35904
35901
Opportunity
24 · Bottom 4%
vs30 · Bottom 9%
Growth
33 · Bottom 22%
vs33 · Bottom 22%
Climate
78 · Top 20%
vs78 · Top 20%
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 32%
vs40 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 32%
vs91 · Top 31%
Access
68 · Bottom 10%
vs66 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
19 · Bottom 2%
vs18 · Bottom 2%
Measured values
| Metric | 35904 | 35901 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,015 | 18,769 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $43,771 | $48,876 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $22,123 | $28,267 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 287/sq mi | 317/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $117,700 | $166,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $817 | $820 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.0% | 65.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.3% | -2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.4% | 23.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 25.6% | 26.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 18 | 18 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 0.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -30.8% | -30.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 31°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 57.6" | 57.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 56 mi | 58 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.0 min | 23.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.1 | 38.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.12 | 18.17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 71.6% | 65.0% | 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
35904
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake, inland flooding.
35901
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 35904 — Gadsden, AL · 35901 — Gadsden, AL · How this is calculated: methodology