35235 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
38671
35235
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 34%
vs39 · Bottom 20%
Growth
38 · Bottom 30%
vs43 · Bottom 38%
Climate
68 · Bottom 42%
vs74 · Top 34%
Physical resilience
57 · Bottom 48%
vs59 · Top 49%
Housing affordability
78 · Bottom 47%
vs79 · Bottom 49%
Access
98 · Top 21%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
45 · Bottom 26%
vs37 · Bottom 16%
Measured values
| Metric | 38671 | 35235 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 37,319 | 20,526 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,843 | $63,295 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,156 | $32,084 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,678/sq mi | 1,521/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $189,000 | $194,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,400 | $1,404 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.5% | 65.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.4% | 29.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.3% | 20.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 91 | 591 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 3.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -54.5% | 33.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 54.9" | 56.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.3 min | 26.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.5 | 39.6 | 2024 ACS 5-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
38671
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
35235
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: 38671 — Southaven, MS · 35235 — Birmingham, AL · How this is calculated: methodology