35769 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
35906
35769
Opportunity
42 · Bottom 24%
vs39 · Bottom 19%
Growth
37 · Bottom 29%
vs48 · Bottom 45%
Climate
77 · Top 23%
vs77 · Top 23%
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 32%
vs39 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
80 · Bottom 49%
vs91 · Top 30%
Access
74 · Bottom 16%
vs77 · Bottom 18%
Economic stability
44 · Bottom 25%
vs35 · Bottom 13%
Measured values
| Metric | 35906 | 35769 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,446 | 9,908 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,420 | $55,687 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,433 | $35,933 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 299/sq mi | 157/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $220,900 | $210,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,048 | $759 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.2% | 75.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.3% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.0% | 27.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.1% | 12.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 10 | 43 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 2.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -28.6% | -2.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 52.2" | 55.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 45 mi | 38 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.3 min | 24.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.9 | 43.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 1 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.91 | 14.28 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 47.5% | 42.4% | 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
35906
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake, inland flooding.
35769
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake.
Full profiles: 35906 — Rainbow City, AL · 35769 — Scottsboro, AL · How this is calculated: methodology