27288 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
27217
27288
Opportunity
37 · Bottom 16%
vs42 · Bottom 24%
Growth
63 · Top 28%
vs65 · Top 24%
Climate
71 · Top 48%
vs75 · Top 29%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 44%
vs56 · Bottom 47%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 34%
vs99 · Top 12%
Schools
29 · Bottom 22%
vs27 · Bottom 19%
Access
81 · Bottom 22%
vs82 · Bottom 24%
Economic stability
40 · Bottom 19%
vs36 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | 27217 | 27288 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 41,406 | 22,926 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $51,950 | $52,594 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,751 | $32,292 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 336/sq mi | 321/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $173,200 | $136,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $915 | $815 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.2% | 62.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.5% | 12.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.6% | 16.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 513 | 72 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.6 | 4.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 27.9% | 213.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.3" | 43.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 32 mi | 29 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.8 min | 26.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.5 | 42.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.21 | 17.34 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 28.3% | 29.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 36.9% | 33.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 99.2% | 98.4% | 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: 27217 — Burlington, NC · 27288 — Eden, NC · How this is calculated: methodology