Birmingham receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Birmingham
San Antonio-New Braunfels
Opportunity
58 · Top 46%
vs55 · Top 50%
Growth
61 · Top 32%
vs63 · Top 29%
Climate
74 · Top 24%
vs68 · Top 46%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 43%
vs49 · Bottom 41%
Housing affordability
92 · Bottom 43%
vs85 · Bottom 26%
Access
97 · Top 12%
vs94 · Top 17%
Economic stability
51 · Top 49%
vs67 · Top 30%
Measured values
| Metric | Birmingham | San Antonio-New Braunfels | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,184,613 | 2,662,733 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $71,498 | $76,213 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,359 | $38,364 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 224/sq mi | 364/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $240,200 | $278,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,172 | $1,363 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.8% | 63.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.7% | 32.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.8% | 13.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4,727 | 9,880 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.0 | 3.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 32.4% | -25.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.0 min | 28.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.9 | 35.9 | 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.
San Antonio-New Braunfels
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
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
San Antonio-New Braunfels
69
Your Score
64
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Birmingham, AL Metro Area · San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology