Talladega and Sylacauga 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
Talladega
Sylacauga
Opportunity
23 · Bottom 2%
vs26 · Bottom 4%
Growth
13 · Bottom 3%
vs4 · Bottom 1%
Climate
77 · Top 22%
vs76 · Top 26%
Physical resilience
38 · Bottom 31%
vs34 · Bottom 27%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 25%
vs96 · Top 17%
Access
80 · Bottom 22%
vs77 · Bottom 19%
Economic stability
18 · Bottom 1%
vs35 · Bottom 12%
Measured values
| Metric | Talladega | Sylacauga | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,760 | 12,309 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $44,198 | $50,017 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $23,890 | $25,429 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 567/sq mi | 608/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $121,900 | $161,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $776 | $773 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.4% | 55.1% | 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 | 13.6% | 17.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 25.6% | 21.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 52.2" | 57.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 39 mi | 38 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 24.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.9 | 37.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.95 | 17.71 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 75.3% | 61.2% | 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.
Sylacauga
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Talladega, AL · Sylacauga, AL · How this is calculated: methodology