Signals
Fort Payne
Portsmouth
Growth
30 · Bottom 19%
vs28 · Bottom 17%
Climate
78 · Top 10%
vs68 · Top 46%
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 37%
vs44 · Bottom 34%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
67 · Bottom 33%
vs67 · Bottom 33%
Economic stability
17 · Bottom 7%
vs16 · Bottom 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Fort Payne | Portsmouth | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 72,269 | 72,627 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $51,204 | $50,609 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $26,490 | $28,749 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 93/sq mi | 119/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $152,700 | $137,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $693 | $742 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 78.3% | 68.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.1% | 18.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.4% | 21.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 45 | 15 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -13.5% | 50.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 57 mi | 60 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.4 min | 28.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.5 | 41.1 | 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.
Portsmouth
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
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Fort Payne
56
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Portsmouth
54
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Full profiles: Fort Payne, AL Micro Area · Portsmouth, OH Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology