Gadsden receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Nogales
Gadsden
Opportunity
27 · Bottom 5%
vs27 · Bottom 5%
Growth
37 · Bottom 26%
vs36 · Bottom 25%
Climate
77 · Top 23%
vs78 · Top 20%
Physical resilience
27 · Bottom 22%
vs41 · Bottom 32%
Housing affordability
80 · Bottom 49%
vs86 · Top 40%
Access
64 · Bottom 8%
vs70 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
29 · Bottom 6%
vs18 · Bottom 1%
Measured values
| Metric | Nogales | Gadsden | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,841 | 33,374 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $43,214 | $40,345 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $21,824 | $22,914 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 953/sq mi | 891/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $186,300 | $116,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $737 | $808 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 49.4% | 55.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.5% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.6% | 15.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 28.0% | 28.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 7 | 18 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 0.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -22.2% | -30.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 14.6" | 57.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 52 mi | 52 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.5 min | 22.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.4 | 38.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.19 | 18.14 | 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
Nogales
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding.
Gadsden
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Nogales, AZ · Gadsden, AL · How this is calculated: methodology