Troy receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Bessemer
Troy
Opportunity
25 · Bottom 3%
vs32 · Bottom 8%
Growth
47 · Bottom 44%
vs43 · Bottom 37%
Climate
74 · Top 33%
vs87 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
59 · Top 49%
vs66 · Top 42%
Housing affordability
70 · Bottom 33%
vs74 · Bottom 39%
Access
93 · Top 46%
vs76 · Bottom 18%
Economic stability
21 · Bottom 2%
vs24 · Bottom 3%
Measured values
| Metric | Bessemer | Troy | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,400 | 17,716 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $39,613 | $50,717 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,797 | $28,552 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 625/sq mi | 625/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $135,900 | $231,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $961 | $922 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.4% | 47.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -3.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.6% | 39.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 27.9% | 25.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 93 | 35 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.7 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 31.0% | 45.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 56.2" | 54.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 43 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.9 min | 20.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.3 | 25.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.32 | 18.45 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 74.2% | 65.6% | 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
Bessemer
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Troy
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, heat wave, strong wind.
Full profiles: Bessemer, AL · Troy, AL · How this is calculated: methodology