Signals
McCalla
Gardendale
Opportunity
56 · Bottom 49%
vs54 · Bottom 46%
Climate
74 · Top 33%
vs74 · Top 32%
Physical resilience
58 · Top 50%
vs60 · Top 49%
Housing affordability
83 · Top 46%
vs97 · Top 15%
Access
89 · Bottom 40%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
61 · Top 50%
vs72 · Top 24%
Measured values
| Metric | McCalla | Gardendale | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,253 | 16,534 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $87,468 | $82,192 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,491 | $42,246 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 392/sq mi | 719/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $279,900 | $252,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,777 | $1,299 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 90.3% | 78.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.5% | 31.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.3% | 4.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 56.2" | 56.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.9 min | 27.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.3 | 38.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.93 | 18.33 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 51.2% | 40.2% | 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.
Gardendale
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
McCalla
70
Your Score
—
Area Score
Gardendale
72
Your Score
68
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: McCalla, AL · Gardendale, AL · How this is calculated: methodology