30318 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
27606
30318
Opportunity
80 · Top 6%
vs84 · Top 3%
Growth
69 · Top 12%
vs62 · Top 28%
Climate
72 · Top 44%
vs74 · Top 34%
Physical resilience
72 · Top 26%
vs86 · Top 11%
Housing affordability
64 · Bottom 42%
vs61 · Bottom 36%
Access
97 · Top 47%
vs90 · Bottom 16%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 30%
vs49 · Bottom 29%
Measured values
| Metric | 27606 | 30318 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 45,444 | 59,609 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,371 | $83,116 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,200 | $56,870 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,858/sq mi | 2,932/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $457,900 | $430,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,432 | $1,722 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 37.8% | 41.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 60.3% | 56.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.8% | 17.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 5,124 | 5,975 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.7 | 11.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -0.6% | -16.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.1" | 48.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.2 min | 27.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 30.9 | 32.1 | 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: 27606 — Raleigh, NC · 30318 — Atlanta, GA · How this is calculated: methodology