Hartselle receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hartselle
Clinton
Opportunity
72 · Top 18%
vs61 · Top 39%
Growth
57 · Top 37%
vs69 · Top 19%
Climate
77 · Top 24%
vs76 · Top 25%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 42%
vs47 · Bottom 39%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs97 · Top 15%
Access
90 · Bottom 44%
vs87 · Bottom 35%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 28%
vs54 · Bottom 38%
Measured values
| Metric | Hartselle | Clinton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,847 | 10,239 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,290 | $68,882 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,419 | $37,309 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 950/sq mi | 881/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $203,800 | $225,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $804 | $962 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.9% | 63.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.9% | 20.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.3% | 12.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 44 | 44 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.8 | 4.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -4.3% | 18.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 49.5" | 55.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.4 min | 25.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.5 | 43.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 11 | 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
Hartselle
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Clinton
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Hartselle, AL · Clinton, TN · How this is calculated: methodology