Oxford receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Anniston
Oxford
Opportunity
21 · Bottom 2%
vs40 · Bottom 18%
Growth
37 · Bottom 26%
vs41 · Bottom 34%
Climate
78 · Top 21%
vs78 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
44 · Bottom 34%
vs40 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 32%
vs100 · Top 8%
Access
68 · Bottom 11%
vs72 · Bottom 14%
Economic stability
22 · Bottom 2%
vs45 · Bottom 24%
Measured values
| Metric | Anniston | Oxford | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,271 | 22,063 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $46,668 | $74,268 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,565 | $35,530 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 464/sq mi | 691/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $158,800 | $170,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $799 | $925 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.5% | 75.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.5% | 24.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.6% | 15.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 12 | 62 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 2.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 9.1% | -50.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 52.1" | 52.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 55 mi | 51 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.0 min | 26.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.8 | 38.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.72 | 14.06 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 68.3% | 56.1% | 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.
Oxford
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Anniston, AL · Oxford, AL · How this is calculated: methodology