Signals
Paragould
Alexander City
Growth
63 · Top 29%
vs59 · Top 35%
Climate
70 · Top 36%
vs73 · Top 26%
Physical resilience
29 · Bottom 19%
vs29 · Bottom 19%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 35%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
81 · Top 40%
vs70 · Bottom 39%
Economic stability
43 · Bottom 39%
vs18 · Bottom 8%
Measured values
| Metric | Paragould | Alexander City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 46,432 | 40,938 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,839 | $59,356 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,951 | $33,762 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 80/sq mi | 57/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $169,300 | $158,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $904 | $765 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.2% | 76.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.9% | 20.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.4% | 16.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 165 | 250 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.6 | 6.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 9.3% | 19.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 31°F | 29°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 36 mi | 52 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.1 min | 26.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.0 | 45.6 | 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
Paragould
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, drought, tornado.
Alexander City
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
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Paragould
64
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Area Score
Alexander City
58
Your Score
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Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Paragould, AR Micro Area · Alexander City, AL Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology