Huntsville receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Huntsville
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
Opportunity
80 · Top 9%
vs66 · Top 28%
Growth
86 · Top 3%
vs78 · Top 8%
Climate
68 · Top 44%
vs68 · Top 43%
Physical resilience
53 · Bottom 48%
vs58 · Top 46%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 48%
vs81 · Bottom 21%
Access
98 · Top 7%
vs99 · Top 2%
Economic stability
79 · Top 16%
vs87 · Top 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Huntsville | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 516,951 | 7,985,590 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,989 | $90,275 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,601 | $45,949 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 379/sq mi | 920/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $295,200 | $359,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,183 | $1,614 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.2% | 60.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.9% | 39.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.1% | 10.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4,575 | 62,553 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.8 | 7.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 6.7% | -10.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 54.3" | 37.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.7 min | 30.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.8 | 35.6 | 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
Huntsville
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake, inland flooding.
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Huntsville
80
Your Score
77
Area Score
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
77
Your Score
72
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Huntsville, AL Metro Area · Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology