Gadsden receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Gadsden
Nogales
Opportunity
27 · Bottom 5%
vs27 · Bottom 5%
Growth
36 · Bottom 25%
vs37 · Bottom 26%
Climate
78 · Top 20%
vs77 · Top 23%
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 32%
vs27 · Bottom 22%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 40%
vs80 · Bottom 49%
Access
70 · Bottom 12%
vs64 · Bottom 8%
Economic stability
18 · Bottom 1%
vs29 · Bottom 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Gadsden | Nogales | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 33,374 | 19,841 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $40,345 | $43,214 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $22,914 | $21,824 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 891/sq mi | 953/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $116,800 | $186,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $808 | $737 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.7% | 49.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 7.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.3% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.5% | 17.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 28.1% | 28.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 18 | 7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -30.8% | -22.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 31°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 57.6" | 14.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 52 mi | 52 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 19.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 36.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 15 | 17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.14 | 18.19 | 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
Gadsden
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake, inland flooding.
Nogales
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Gadsden, AL · Nogales, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology