Opelika receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Opelika
Auburn
Opportunity
71 · Top 21%
vs73 · Top 17%
Growth
91 · Top 1%
vs77 · Top 7%
Climate
72 · Top 43%
vs84 · Top 10%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 40%
vs70 · Top 36%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 27%
vs67 · Bottom 30%
Access
62 · Bottom 8%
vs69 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
43 · Bottom 21%
vs30 · Bottom 7%
Measured values
| Metric | Opelika | Auburn | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,820 | 80,594 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,004 | $63,668 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,177 | $37,018 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 534/sq mi | 1,280/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $241,800 | $364,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $950 | $1,098 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.1% | 53.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.4% | 64.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.0% | 25.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,009 | 1,040 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 30.7 | 12.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 116.5% | 8.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.8" | 56.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 64 mi | 57 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 21.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.9 | 25.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.01 | 16.97 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 66.7% | 33.5% | 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.
Full profiles: Opelika, AL · Auburn, AL · How this is calculated: methodology