Evansville and Birmingham 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
Evansville
Birmingham
Opportunity
60 · Top 42%
vs58 · Top 46%
Growth
54 · Top 42%
vs61 · Top 32%
Climate
74 · Top 25%
vs74 · Top 24%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 41%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs92 · Bottom 43%
Access
98 · Top 7%
vs97 · Top 12%
Economic stability
71 · Top 24%
vs51 · Top 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Evansville | Birmingham | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 270,494 | 1,184,613 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,232 | $71,498 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,665 | $40,359 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 263/sq mi | 224/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $204,000 | $240,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $986 | $1,172 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.5% | 70.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.3% | 33.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.1% | 13.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 816 | 4,727 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.0 | 4.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 11.6% | 32.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.9" | 56.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 3 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.3 min | 29.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.7 | 38.9 | 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
Evansville
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, strong wind.
Birmingham
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Evansville
72
Your Score
68
Area Score
Birmingham
69
Your Score
66
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Evansville, IN Metro Area · Birmingham, AL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology