36542 and 36535 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
36542
36535
Opportunity
72 · Top 18%
vs62 · Top 34%
Growth
66 · Top 22%
vs68 · Top 18%
Climate
84 · Top 10%
vs84 · Top 10%
Physical resilience
29 · Bottom 23%
vs29 · Bottom 23%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 34%
vs76 · Bottom 44%
Access
75 · Bottom 16%
vs77 · Bottom 18%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 15%
vs40 · Bottom 20%
Measured values
| Metric | 36542 | 36535 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,906 | 40,628 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,639 | $66,714 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,566 | $38,076 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 363/sq mi | 439/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $383,500 | $282,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,502 | $1,235 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.6% | 77.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.9% | 25.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.4% | 13.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 171 | 312 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.4 | 13.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -29.3% | -51.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 39°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 65.8" | 65.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 41 mi | 37 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.3 min | 27.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 50.0 | 48.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.21 | 16.16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 34.9% | 60.5% | 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.
36535
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 36542 — Gulf Shores, AL · 36535 — Foley, AL · How this is calculated: methodology