36079 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
36079
35654
Opportunity
33 · Bottom 11%
vs47 · Bottom 33%
Growth
41 · Bottom 35%
vs29 · Bottom 16%
Climate
87 · Top 8%
vs78 · Top 22%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 43%
vs54 · Bottom 46%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 12%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
77 · Bottom 18%
vs72 · Bottom 13%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 10%
vs33 · Bottom 12%
Measured values
| Metric | 36079 | 35654 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 9,174 | 8,749 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,405 | $60,674 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,044 | $25,859 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 49/sq mi | 59/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $177,100 | $172,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $918 | $689 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.7% | 68.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.2% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.9% | 11.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.6% | 17.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 35 | 8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.0 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 45.8% | -27.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 54.6" | 58.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 44 mi | 49 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.8 min | 24.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 37.7 | 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.
35654
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 36079 — Troy, AL · 35654 — Russellville, AL · How this is calculated: methodology