Sylacauga and Talladega 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
Sylacauga
Talladega
Opportunity
26 · Bottom 4%
vs23 · Bottom 2%
Growth
4 · Bottom 1%
vs13 · Bottom 3%
Climate
76 · Top 26%
vs77 · Top 22%
Physical resilience
34 · Bottom 27%
vs38 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 17%
vs93 · Top 25%
Access
77 · Bottom 19%
vs80 · Bottom 22%
Economic stability
35 · Bottom 12%
vs18 · Bottom 1%
Measured values
| Metric | Sylacauga | Talladega | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,309 | 14,760 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $50,017 | $44,198 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,429 | $23,890 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 608/sq mi | 567/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $161,200 | $121,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $773 | $776 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.1% | 55.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.8% | -3.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.9% | 13.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.0% | 25.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 31°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 57.1" | 52.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 38 mi | 39 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 26.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.4 | 40.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.71 | 18.95 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 61.2% | 75.3% | 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
Sylacauga
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding.
Talladega
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Sylacauga, AL · Talladega, AL · How this is calculated: methodology