35611 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
37620
35611
Opportunity
57 · Top 45%
vs64 · Top 31%
Growth
66 · Top 20%
vs79 · Top 5%
Climate
75 · Top 29%
vs77 · Top 25%
Physical resilience
72 · Top 32%
vs61 · Top 47%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 22%
vs90 · Top 33%
Access
89 · Bottom 38%
vs92 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
43 · Bottom 23%
vs33 · Bottom 12%
Measured values
| Metric | 37620 | 35611 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,494 | 29,969 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,128 | $57,377 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,898 | $37,278 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 300/sq mi | 260/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $188,800 | $225,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $871 | $856 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.2% | 59.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.2% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.0% | 21.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.5% | 18.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 141 | 478 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.1 | 16.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -19.4% | 8.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.0" | 49.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.1 min | 29.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.8 | 40.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 10 | 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
37620
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
35611
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: 37620 — Bristol, TN · 35611 — Athens, AL · How this is calculated: methodology