Signals
McCalla
Bessemer
Opportunity
56 · Bottom 49%
vs25 · Bottom 3%
Climate
74 · Top 33%
vs74 · Top 33%
Physical resilience
58 · Top 50%
vs59 · Top 49%
Housing affordability
83 · Top 46%
vs70 · Bottom 33%
Access
89 · Bottom 40%
vs93 · Top 46%
Economic stability
61 · Top 50%
vs21 · Bottom 2%
Measured values
| Metric | McCalla | Bessemer | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,253 | 25,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $87,468 | $39,613 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,491 | $25,797 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 392/sq mi | 625/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $279,900 | $135,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,777 | $961 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 90.3% | 57.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.5% | 15.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.3% | 27.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 56.2" | 56.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.9 min | 27.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.3 | 43.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.93 | 19.32 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 51.2% | 74.2% | 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
McCalla
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Bessemer
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: McCalla, AL · Bessemer, AL · How this is calculated: methodology