37601 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
37601
36116
Opportunity
59 · Top 42%
vs41 · Bottom 22%
Growth
55 · Top 43%
vs53 · Top 46%
Climate
75 · Top 29%
vs71 · Top 48%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 43%
vs57 · Bottom 49%
Housing affordability
77 · Bottom 45%
vs86 · Top 40%
Access
94 · Top 45%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
41 · Bottom 20%
vs38 · Bottom 17%
Measured values
| Metric | 37601 | 36116 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,008 | 45,250 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $50,686 | $55,160 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,949 | $29,748 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 796/sq mi | 848/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $216,200 | $149,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $929 | $1,103 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.9% | 49.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -2.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.3% | 32.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.0% | 25.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 273 | 523 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.8 | 2.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -60.2% | 101.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.0" | 51.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.2 min | 24.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.7 | 33.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 14 | 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.
Full profiles: 37601 — Johnson City, TN · 36116 — Montgomery, AL · How this is calculated: methodology