Birmingham and Oklahoma City 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
Birmingham
Oklahoma City
Opportunity
58 · Top 46%
vs55 · Bottom 49%
Growth
61 · Top 32%
vs70 · Top 19%
Climate
74 · Top 24%
vs62 · Bottom 36%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 43%
vs48 · Bottom 39%
Housing affordability
92 · Bottom 43%
vs96 · Top 44%
Access
97 · Top 12%
vs99 · Top 4%
Economic stability
51 · Top 49%
vs65 · Top 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Birmingham | Oklahoma City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,184,613 | 1,463,267 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $71,498 | $72,094 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,359 | $39,078 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 224/sq mi | 265/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $240,200 | $230,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,172 | $1,124 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.8% | 63.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.7% | 34.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.8% | 13.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4,727 | 7,710 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.0 | 5.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 32.4% | -0.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 27°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 56.6" | 36.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.0 min | 25.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.9 | 36.0 | 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
Birmingham
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Oklahoma City
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hail, tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Birmingham
69
Your Score
66
Area Score
Oklahoma City
71
Your Score
66
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Birmingham, AL Metro Area · Oklahoma City, OK Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology