35904 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
36201
35904
Opportunity
13 · Bottom 1%
vs24 · Bottom 4%
Growth
35 · Bottom 25%
vs33 · Bottom 22%
Climate
78 · Top 21%
vs78 · Top 20%
Physical resilience
43 · Bottom 34%
vs41 · Bottom 32%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 36%
vs90 · Top 32%
Access
73 · Bottom 14%
vs68 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
16 · Bottom 1%
vs19 · Bottom 2%
Measured values
| Metric | 36201 | 35904 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,993 | 14,015 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $37,614 | $43,771 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $23,111 | $22,123 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 436/sq mi | 287/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $80,900 | $117,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $728 | $817 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.6% | 72.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.0% | 12.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 23.9% | 25.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 12 | 18 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 0.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 9.1% | -30.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 52.1" | 57.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 50 mi | 56 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.9 min | 23.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.7 | 39.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.72 | 18.12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 68.3% | 71.6% | 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
36201
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
35904
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 36201 — Anniston, AL · 35904 — Gadsden, AL · How this is calculated: methodology