27603 and 43235 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
27603
43235
Opportunity
82 · Top 4%
vs84 · Top 3%
Growth
69 · Top 12%
vs64 · Top 21%
Climate
72 · Top 44%
vs64 · Bottom 29%
Physical resilience
72 · Top 27%
vs77 · Top 21%
Housing affordability
80 · Top 32%
vs78 · Top 36%
Access
93 · Bottom 26%
vs98 · Top 30%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 49%
vs72 · Top 22%
Measured values
| Metric | 27603 | 43235 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 53,972 | 44,589 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $90,484 | $86,666 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,497 | $52,867 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,050/sq mi | 3,151/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $383,200 | $383,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,547 | $1,477 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.4% | 50.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.7% | 57.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.5% | 10.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 5,124 | 6,848 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.7 | 7.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -0.6% | -21.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.1" | 35.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.9 min | 22.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.6 | 37.4 | 2024 ACS 5-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: 27603 — Raleigh, NC · 43235 — Columbus, OH · How this is calculated: methodology