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
37643
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 35%
vs50 · Bottom 40%
Growth
62 · Top 30%
vs49 · Bottom 47%
Climate
71 · Top 45%
vs75 · Top 29%
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 36%
vs42 · Bottom 32%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 28%
vs98 · Top 15%
Access
99 · Top 15%
vs90 · Bottom 39%
Economic stability
27 · Bottom 6%
vs32 · Bottom 11%
Measured values
| Metric | 36303 | 37643 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,173 | 34,120 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $54,147 | $51,831 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,103 | $30,936 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 513/sq mi | 260/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $182,600 | $166,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $893 | $732 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.7% | 74.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.8% | 20.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.9% | 16.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 319 | 27 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.5 | 1.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 52.6% | -22.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 40°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.9" | 44.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 25.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.5 | 46.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 13 | 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.
37643
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 36303 — Dothan, AL · 37643 — Elizabethton, TN · How this is calculated: methodology