36854 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
38555
36854
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 49%
vs61 · Top 37%
Growth
71 · Top 15%
vs73 · Top 12%
Climate
75 · Top 29%
vs72 · Top 43%
Physical resilience
68 · Top 38%
vs62 · Top 46%
Housing affordability
87 · Top 38%
vs89 · Top 34%
Access
68 · Bottom 10%
vs53 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 11%
vs37 · Bottom 16%
Measured values
| Metric | 38555 | 36854 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,584 | 16,537 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,818 | $55,973 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,219 | $30,238 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 234/sq mi | 273/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $236,300 | $160,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $804 | $1,060 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.8% | 73.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.6% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.2% | 17.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.5% | 13.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 125 | 91 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.1 | 8.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 28.9% | 102.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 57.5" | 48.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 56 mi | 75 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.0 min | 25.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.1 | 38.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 6 | 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
38555
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, lightning.
36854
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 38555 — Crossville, TN · 36854 — Valley, AL · How this is calculated: methodology