36079 and 31503 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
36079
31503
Opportunity
33 · Bottom 11%
vs40 · Bottom 21%
Growth
41 · Bottom 35%
vs56 · Top 39%
Climate
87 · Top 8%
vs75 · Top 30%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 43%
vs63 · Top 44%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 12%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
77 · Bottom 18%
vs70 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 10%
vs26 · Bottom 6%
Measured values
| Metric | 36079 | 31503 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 9,174 | 22,468 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,405 | $55,895 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,044 | $24,748 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 49/sq mi | 66/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $177,100 | $109,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $918 | $820 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.7% | 69.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.2% | 2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.9% | 12.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.6% | 17.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 35 | 47 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.0 | 3.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 45.8% | 683.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 39°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 54.6" | 44.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 44 mi | 56 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.8 min | 24.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 36.1 | 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
36079
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, heat wave.
31503
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 36079 — Troy, AL · 31503 — Waycross, GA · How this is calculated: methodology