Signals
McCalla
Helena
Opportunity
56 · Bottom 49%
vs72 · Top 19%
Climate
74 · Top 33%
vs74 · Top 33%
Physical resilience
58 · Top 50%
vs49 · Bottom 41%
Housing affordability
83 · Top 46%
vs100 · Top 8%
Access
89 · Bottom 40%
vs91 · Bottom 48%
Economic stability
61 · Top 50%
vs80 · Top 7%
Measured values
| Metric | McCalla | Helena | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,253 | 21,769 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $87,468 | $115,139 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,491 | $52,640 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 392/sq mi | 975/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $279,900 | $330,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,777 | $1,574 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 90.3% | 91.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.5% | 51.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.3% | 3.2% | 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 | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.9 min | 33.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.3 | 37.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.93 | 17.86 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 51.2% | 27.9% | 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.
Helena
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: McCalla, AL · Helena, AL · How this is calculated: methodology