18508 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
36867
18508
Opportunity
41 · Bottom 22%
vs45 · Bottom 30%
Growth
32 · Bottom 21%
vs44 · Bottom 40%
Climate
72 · Top 43%
vs63 · Bottom 30%
Physical resilience
53 · Bottom 45%
vs64 · Top 43%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 34%
vs84 · Top 44%
Access
52 · Bottom 4%
vs52 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
27 · Bottom 6%
vs30 · Bottom 9%
Measured values
| Metric | 36867 | 18508 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,821 | 11,565 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $48,026 | $49,895 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,166 | $26,390 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,816/sq mi | 1,708/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $207,600 | $145,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $996 | $1,037 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 48.0% | 54.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | 2.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.1% | 18.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 25.4% | 23.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 69 | 4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.8 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -2.8% | 100.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.8" | 38.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 81 mi | 80 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.3 min | 19.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.8 | 40.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.72 | 6.86 | 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
36867
Elevated or high exposure: drought.
18508
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: 36867 — Phenix City, AL · 18508 — Scranton, PA · How this is calculated: methodology