Auburn-Opelika receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
College Station-Bryan
Auburn-Opelika
Opportunity
58 · Top 44%
vs72 · Top 20%
Growth
94 · Top 1%
vs91 · Top 1%
Climate
69 · Top 43%
vs69 · Top 41%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 20%
vs69 · Top 30%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 12%
vs87 · Bottom 29%
Access
60 · Bottom 21%
vs68 · Bottom 34%
Economic stability
37 · Bottom 31%
vs30 · Bottom 20%
Measured values
| Metric | College Station-Bryan | Auburn-Opelika | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 278,335 | 199,825 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $60,087 | $63,649 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,582 | $35,042 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 133/sq mi | 164/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $279,700 | $247,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,178 | $1,026 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.1% | 65.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.2% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.7% | 40.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.7% | 19.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3,357 | 2,452 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 12.1 | 12.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 57.6% | 39.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 70 mi | 52 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 24.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 28.6 | 34.1 | 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.
Your best match
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College Station-Bryan
66
Your Score
69
Area Score
Auburn-Opelika
69
Your Score
74
Area Score
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Full profiles: College Station-Bryan, TX Metro Area · Auburn-Opelika, AL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology