Florence-Muscle Shoals receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Beaumont-Port Arthur
Florence-Muscle Shoals
Opportunity
38 · Bottom 17%
vs42 · Bottom 22%
Growth
51 · Top 48%
vs60 · Top 34%
Climate
76 · Top 16%
vs77 · Top 11%
Physical resilience
35 · Bottom 24%
vs53 · Bottom 47%
Housing affordability
94 · Bottom 48%
vs100 · Top 29%
Access
64 · Bottom 27%
vs62 · Bottom 25%
Economic stability
31 · Bottom 21%
vs41 · Bottom 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Beaumont-Port Arthur | Florence-Muscle Shoals | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 396,827 | 153,852 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $64,659 | $61,891 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,041 | $35,173 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 189/sq mi | 122/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $173,600 | $187,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,106 | $853 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.2% | 69.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.2% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.5% | 26.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.8% | 14.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 918 | 370 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 2.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -7.6% | 21.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 44°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 62.1" | 57.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 64 mi | 55 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.2 min | 26.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.7 | 41.6 | 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
Beaumont-Port Arthur
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Florence-Muscle Shoals
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Beaumont-Port Arthur
56
Your Score
55
Area Score
Florence-Muscle Shoals
62
Your Score
62
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX Metro Area · Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology