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
Prattville
Opportunity
73 · Top 18%
vs65 · Top 32%
Growth
78 · Top 6%
vs68 · Top 19%
Climate
68 · Bottom 42%
vs71 · Top 50%
Physical resilience
51 · Bottom 45%
vs45 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 29%
vs97 · Top 10%
Access
98 · Top 25%
vs96 · Top 38%
Economic stability
53 · Bottom 34%
vs56 · Bottom 40%
Measured values
| Metric | Huntsville | Prattville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 222,791 | 39,482 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $74,714 | $81,337 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,854 | $42,686 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 989/sq mi | 1,105/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $293,600 | $214,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,171 | $1,313 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.3% | 67.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.2% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.2% | 36.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.6% | 10.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,108 | 207 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.5 | 5.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 87.4% | 10.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 54.3" | 51.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 25.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.9 | 36.9 | 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.
Prattville
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Huntsville
73
Your Score
72
Area Score
Prattville
71
Your Score
69
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Huntsville, AL · Prattville, AL · How this is calculated: methodology