Albany receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Huntington-Ashland
Albany
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 19%
vs32 · Bottom 10%
Growth
39 · Bottom 33%
vs47 · Bottom 46%
Climate
75 · Top 18%
vs71 · Top 34%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 12%
vs40 · Bottom 29%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs95 · Top 47%
Access
34 · Bottom 4%
vs54 · Bottom 16%
Economic stability
27 · Bottom 17%
vs23 · Bottom 13%
Measured values
| Metric | Huntington-Ashland | Albany | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 370,729 | 146,018 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $60,078 | $56,906 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,619 | $29,934 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 127/sq mi | 92/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $154,700 | $157,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $884 | $950 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.6% | 56.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.2% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.5% | 23.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.6% | 20.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 458 | 459 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 3.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 25.8% | 94.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 39°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.1" | 46.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 99 mi | 77 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.7 min | 23.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.9 | 38.1 | 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
Huntington-Ashland
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Albany
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, drought, cold wave.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Huntington-Ashland
48
Your Score
50
Area Score
Albany
52
Your Score
52
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH Metro Area · Albany, GA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology