Signals
Huntsville
Charlotte
Opportunity
76 · Top 13%
vs73 · Top 15%
Climate
68 · Bottom 44%
vs72 · Top 41%
Physical resilience
51 · Bottom 45%
vs51 · Bottom 44%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 13%
vs68 · Top 49%
Access
98 · Top 31%
vs99 · Top 22%
Economic stability
53 · Bottom 45%
vs64 · Top 19%
Measured values
| Metric | Huntsville | Charlotte | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 222,791 | 903,844 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $74,714 | $82,068 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,854 | $51,814 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 989/sq mi | 2,901/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $293,600 | $385,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,171 | $1,612 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.3% | 51.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.2% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.2% | 48.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.6% | 11.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 92°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 54.3" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 26.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.9 | 34.5 | 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, inland flooding, earthquake.
Charlotte
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
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Huntsville
74
Your Score
74
Area Score
Charlotte
71
Your Score
—
Area Score
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Full profiles: Huntsville, AL · Charlotte, NC · How this is calculated: methodology