27215 and 27253 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
27215
27253
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 39%
vs48 · Bottom 37%
Growth
63 · Top 28%
vs54 · Top 45%
Climate
71 · Top 48%
vs71 · Top 48%
Physical resilience
65 · Top 42%
vs66 · Top 42%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 40%
vs87 · Top 38%
Schools
24 · Bottom 16%
vs33 · Bottom 26%
Access
88 · Bottom 33%
vs81 · Bottom 22%
Economic stability
61 · Top 48%
vs56 · Bottom 43%
Measured values
| Metric | 27215 | 27253 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 47,102 | 33,114 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,825 | $62,774 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,851 | $34,137 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 747/sq mi | 404/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $259,900 | $235,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,161 | $1,041 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.7% | 66.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.7% | 26.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.5% | 12.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 513 | 220 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.6 | 12.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 27.9% | -49.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.3" | 43.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 25 mi | 32 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 29.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.0 | 39.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.94 | 16.82 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 24.2% | 27.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 37.2% | 39.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 88.7% | 75.0% | 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.
Full profiles: 27215 — Burlington, NC · 27253 — Graham, NC · How this is calculated: methodology