Opelika receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Auburn
Opelika
Opportunity
73 · Top 17%
vs71 · Top 21%
Growth
77 · Top 7%
vs91 · Top 1%
Climate
84 · Top 10%
vs72 · Top 43%
Physical resilience
70 · Top 36%
vs67 · Top 40%
Housing affordability
67 · Bottom 30%
vs92 · Top 27%
Access
69 · Bottom 11%
vs62 · Bottom 8%
Economic stability
30 · Bottom 7%
vs43 · Bottom 21%
Measured values
| Metric | Auburn | Opelika | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 80,594 | 32,820 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,668 | $65,004 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,018 | $35,177 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,280/sq mi | 534/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $364,800 | $241,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,098 | $950 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.1% | 69.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 64.1% | 36.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 25.4% | 16.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,040 | 1,009 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 12.9 | 30.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 8.3% | 116.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 56.5" | 48.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 57 mi | 64 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 23.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 25.9 | 39.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.97 | 16.01 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 33.5% | 66.7% | 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.
Full profiles: Auburn, AL · Opelika, AL · How this is calculated: methodology