Florence-Muscle Shoals 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
Florence-Muscle Shoals
Jackson
Opportunity
42 · Bottom 22%
vs45 · Bottom 29%
Growth
60 · Top 34%
vs60 · Top 35%
Climate
77 · Top 11%
vs75 · Top 20%
Physical resilience
53 · Bottom 47%
vs58 · Top 47%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 29%
vs96 · Top 45%
Access
62 · Bottom 25%
vs64 · Bottom 28%
Economic stability
41 · Bottom 36%
vs45 · Bottom 42%
Measured values
| Metric | Florence-Muscle Shoals | Jackson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 153,852 | 181,719 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,891 | $61,177 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,173 | $32,377 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 122/sq mi | 106/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $187,400 | $185,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $853 | $997 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.8% | 65.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.4% | -1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.7% | 23.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.1% | 16.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 370 | 476 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.4 | 2.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 21.3% | 13.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 31°F | 29°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 57.6" | 53.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 55 mi | 61 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 24.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.6 | 38.8 | 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
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Florence-Muscle Shoals
62
Your Score
62
Area Score
Jackson
63
Your Score
63
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL Metro Area · Jackson, TN Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology