Anniston receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Talladega
Anniston
Opportunity
23 · Bottom 2%
vs21 · Bottom 2%
Growth
13 · Bottom 3%
vs37 · Bottom 26%
Climate
77 · Top 22%
vs78 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
38 · Bottom 31%
vs44 · Bottom 34%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 25%
vs90 · Top 32%
Access
80 · Bottom 22%
vs68 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
18 · Bottom 1%
vs22 · Bottom 2%
Measured values
| Metric | Talladega | Anniston | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,760 | 21,271 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $44,198 | $46,668 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $23,890 | $30,565 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 567/sq mi | 464/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $121,900 | $158,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $776 | $799 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.4% | 58.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.8% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.6% | 20.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 25.6% | 20.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 12 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -50.0% | 9.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 52.2" | 52.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 39 mi | 55 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 25.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.9 | 42.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.95 | 16.72 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 75.3% | 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
Talladega
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding.
Anniston
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: Talladega, AL · Anniston, AL · How this is calculated: methodology