35671 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
78656
35671
Opportunity
66 · Top 28%
vs72 · Top 17%
Growth
66 · Top 21%
vs73 · Top 12%
Climate
71 · Top 45%
vs77 · Top 25%
Physical resilience
63 · Top 44%
vs61 · Top 47%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 40%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
89 · Bottom 38%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
70 · Top 30%
vs68 · Top 34%
Measured values
| Metric | 78656 | 35671 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,847 | 2,267 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $81,346 | $86,163 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,747 | $27,727 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 100/sq mi | 45/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $238,100 | $241,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,629 | $657 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.2% | 76.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.2% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.9% | 25.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.7% | 2.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 663 | 271 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.4 | 4.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -38.1% | 67.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 40°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.3" | 49.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 22 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.3 min | 28.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.5 | 47.3 | 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
78656
Elevated or high exposure: drought, strong wind.
35671
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: 78656 — San Marcos, TX · 35671 — Decatur, AL · How this is calculated: methodology