Montgomery and Granite City receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Montgomery
Granite City
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 22%
vs43 · Bottom 21%
Growth
53 · Top 45%
vs45 · Bottom 40%
Climate
71 · Top 50%
vs72 · Top 42%
Physical resilience
58 · Top 49%
vs60 · Top 47%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 28%
vs100 · Top 5%
Access
97 · Top 36%
vs97 · Top 30%
Economic stability
33 · Bottom 7%
vs42 · Bottom 16%
Measured values
| Metric | Montgomery | Granite City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 197,494 | 26,549 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,811 | $59,205 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,458 | $31,559 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,235/sq mi | 1,396/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $161,900 | $104,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,089 | $834 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.4% | 72.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.2% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.8% | 15.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.5% | 14.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 523 | 21 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 101.2% | 425.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 51.2" | 40.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 23.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.6 | 40.4 | 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
Montgomery
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Granite City
Elevated or high exposure: hail, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Montgomery
63
Your Score
62
Area Score
Granite City
65
Your Score
64
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Montgomery, AL · Granite City, IL · How this is calculated: methodology