29572 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
36542
29572
Opportunity
72 · Top 18%
vs80 · Top 7%
Growth
66 · Top 22%
vs66 · Top 20%
Climate
84 · Top 10%
vs85 · Top 10%
Physical resilience
29 · Bottom 23%
vs21 · Bottom 15%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 34%
vs76 · Bottom 43%
Access
75 · Bottom 16%
vs95 · Top 43%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 15%
vs33 · Bottom 11%
Measured values
| Metric | 36542 | 29572 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,906 | 12,124 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,639 | $85,247 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,566 | $61,044 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 363/sq mi | 1,369/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $383,500 | $427,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,502 | $1,334 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.6% | 77.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.9% | 43.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.4% | 8.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 171 | 178 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.4 | 4.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -29.3% | 5.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 65.8" | 48.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 41 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.3 min | 19.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 50.0 | 59.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 1 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.21 | 34.63 | 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
36542
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
29572
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, earthquake.
Full profiles: 36542 — Gulf Shores, AL · 29572 — Myrtle Beach, SC · How this is calculated: methodology