Oak Ridge and Moody 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
Oak Ridge
Moody
Opportunity
69 · Top 24%
vs65 · Top 32%
Growth
70 · Top 17%
vs70 · Top 16%
Climate
77 · Top 23%
vs74 · Top 32%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 42%
vs42 · Bottom 33%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 32%
vs92 · Top 27%
Access
84 · Bottom 28%
vs94 · Top 44%
Economic stability
49 · Bottom 30%
vs64 · Top 43%
Measured values
| Metric | Oak Ridge | Moody | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,693 | 13,488 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,311 | $86,627 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,285 | $39,730 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 383/sq mi | 550/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $270,200 | $237,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,131 | $1,553 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.8% | 74.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.2% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.2% | 28.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.2% | 7.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 220 | 49 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.7 | 3.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -3.1% | 172.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 29°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 59.7" | 56.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.4 min | 30.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.3 | 43.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 4 | 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
Oak Ridge
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Moody
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: Oak Ridge, TN · Moody, AL · How this is calculated: methodology