Dothan and Jackson 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
Dothan
Jackson
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 27%
vs50 · Bottom 39%
Growth
67 · Top 23%
vs56 · Top 40%
Climate
71 · Top 34%
vs73 · Top 29%
Physical resilience
42 · Bottom 30%
vs46 · Bottom 36%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 36%
vs91 · Bottom 38%
Access
99 · Top 4%
vs95 · Top 17%
Economic stability
25 · Bottom 16%
vs36 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Dothan | Jackson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 152,674 | 611,324 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,791 | $61,644 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,790 | $34,708 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 89/sq mi | 102/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $170,700 | $200,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $910 | $1,072 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.1% | 67.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.2% | 32.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.9% | 17.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 604 | 1,979 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.0 | 3.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 19.8% | 86.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 40°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.9" | 51.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 26.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.3 | 38.4 | 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
Dothan
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, cold wave.
Jackson
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, strong wind.
Full profiles: Dothan, AL Metro Area · Jackson, MS Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology