Fairhope receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fairhope
Foley
Opportunity
77 · Top 11%
vs63 · Top 35%
Growth
72 · Top 14%
vs68 · Top 19%
Climate
84 · Top 10%
vs84 · Top 10%
Physical resilience
29 · Bottom 23%
vs29 · Bottom 23%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 40%
vs74 · Bottom 40%
Access
88 · Bottom 35%
vs76 · Bottom 17%
Economic stability
49 · Bottom 31%
vs43 · Bottom 22%
Measured values
| Metric | Fairhope | Foley | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,190 | 24,026 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $94,274 | $66,336 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $53,666 | $37,105 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,632/sq mi | 682/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $430,900 | $289,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,689 | $1,242 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 80.4% | 70.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53.5% | 24.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.2% | 11.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 259 | 312 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.7 | 13.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.8% | -51.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 39°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 65.8" | 65.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 25 mi | 40 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.7 min | 26.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 48.2 | 52.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.43 | 16.16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 25.7% | 60.5% | 2024-25 school 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
Fairhope
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Foley
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Fairhope, AL · Foley, AL · How this is calculated: methodology