36303 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
36303
36301
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 35%
vs43 · Bottom 25%
Growth
62 · Top 30%
vs62 · Top 30%
Climate
71 · Top 45%
vs71 · Top 45%
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 36%
vs46 · Bottom 35%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 28%
vs88 · Top 36%
Access
99 · Top 15%
vs97 · Top 24%
Economic stability
27 · Bottom 6%
vs32 · Bottom 11%
Measured values
| Metric | 36303 | 36301 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,173 | 39,452 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $54,147 | $50,125 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,103 | $29,844 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 513/sq mi | 442/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $182,600 | $164,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $893 | $917 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.7% | 58.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.8% | 18.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.9% | 21.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 319 | 319 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.5 | 4.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 52.6% | 52.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 40°F | 40°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.9" | 53.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 23.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.5 | 39.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.82 | 18.90 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 72.3% | 61.9% | 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
36303
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
36301
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 36303 — Dothan, AL · 36301 — Dothan, AL · How this is calculated: methodology