Oxford receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Oxford
Anniston
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 18%
vs21 · Bottom 2%
Growth
41 · Bottom 34%
vs37 · Bottom 26%
Climate
78 · Top 21%
vs78 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
40 · Bottom 31%
vs44 · Bottom 34%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs90 · Top 32%
Access
72 · Bottom 14%
vs68 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
45 · Bottom 24%
vs22 · Bottom 2%
Measured values
| Metric | Oxford | Anniston | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,063 | 21,271 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $74,268 | $46,668 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,530 | $30,565 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 691/sq mi | 464/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $170,900 | $158,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $925 | $799 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.1% | 58.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.8% | 20.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.8% | 20.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 62 | 12 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.8 | 0.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -50.8% | 9.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 52.1" | 52.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 51 mi | 55 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.0 min | 25.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.3 | 42.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.06 | 16.72 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 56.1% | 68.3% | 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
Oxford
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding.
Anniston
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: Oxford, AL · Anniston, AL · How this is calculated: methodology