Anniston and Gadsden receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Anniston
Gadsden
Opportunity
21 · Bottom 2%
vs27 · Bottom 5%
Growth
37 · Bottom 26%
vs36 · Bottom 25%
Climate
78 · Top 21%
vs78 · Top 20%
Physical resilience
44 · Bottom 34%
vs41 · Bottom 32%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 32%
vs86 · Top 40%
Access
68 · Bottom 11%
vs70 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
22 · Bottom 2%
vs18 · Bottom 1%
Measured values
| Metric | Anniston | Gadsden | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,271 | 33,374 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $46,668 | $40,345 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,565 | $22,914 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 464/sq mi | 891/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $158,800 | $116,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $799 | $808 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.5% | 55.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.5% | 15.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.6% | 28.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 12 | 18 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 0.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 9.1% | -30.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 52.1" | 57.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 55 mi | 52 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.0 min | 22.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.8 | 38.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.72 | 18.14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 68.3% | 68.4% | 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
Anniston
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Gadsden
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Anniston, AL · Gadsden, AL · How this is calculated: methodology