Signals
Fort Payne
Orangeburg
Growth
30 · Bottom 19%
vs35 · Bottom 27%
Climate
78 · Top 10%
vs77 · Top 13%
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 37%
vs34 · Bottom 22%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs91 · Bottom 38%
Access
67 · Bottom 33%
vs78 · Top 47%
Economic stability
17 · Bottom 7%
vs10 · Bottom 2%
Measured values
| Metric | Fort Payne | Orangeburg | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 72,269 | 83,253 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $51,204 | $45,675 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $26,490 | $27,036 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 93/sq mi | 75/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $152,700 | $115,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $693 | $841 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 78.3% | 67.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.1% | 19.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.4% | 22.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 45 | 104 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 1.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -13.5% | 15.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 56.2" | 43.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 57 mi | 39 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.4 min | 32.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.5 | 40.7 | 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
Fort Payne
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave, earthquake.
Orangeburg
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
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Fort Payne
56
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Area Score
Orangeburg
54
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Area Score
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Full profiles: Fort Payne, AL Micro Area · Orangeburg, SC Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology