Petal receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Soddy-Daisy
Petal
Opportunity
65 · Top 32%
vs53 · Bottom 43%
Growth
44 · Bottom 40%
vs56 · Top 39%
Climate
73 · Top 38%
vs77 · Top 24%
Physical resilience
56 · Bottom 48%
vs48 · Bottom 39%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 19%
vs100 · Top 8%
Access
52 · Bottom 4%
vs59 · Bottom 7%
Economic stability
59 · Bottom 47%
vs52 · Bottom 34%
Measured values
| Metric | Soddy-Daisy | Petal | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,231 | 11,294 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,113 | $74,750 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,887 | $30,999 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 571/sq mi | 668/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $256,600 | $174,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,047 | $1,047 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.7% | 70.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.4% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.9% | 27.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.4% | 11.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 25 | 44 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 3.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -57.6% | -2.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 55.0" | 58.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 76 mi | 69 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.0 min | 22.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.6 | 37.0 | 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
Soddy-Daisy
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Petal
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Soddy-Daisy
63
Your Score
65
Area Score
Petal
67
Your Score
67
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Soddy-Daisy, TN · Petal, MS · How this is calculated: methodology