37923 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
27704
37923
Opportunity
59 · Top 41%
vs68 · Top 24%
Growth
71 · Top 13%
vs74 · Top 10%
Climate
72 · Top 44%
vs77 · Top 25%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 36%
vs73 · Top 31%
Housing affordability
70 · Bottom 42%
vs73 · Bottom 46%
Access
96 · Top 42%
vs95 · Bottom 49%
Economic stability
63 · Top 43%
vs66 · Top 39%
Measured values
| Metric | 27704 | 37923 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 40,102 | 30,131 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,668 | $73,699 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,905 | $40,649 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 957/sq mi | 2,717/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $311,500 | $333,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,382 | $1,371 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.7% | 59.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.2% | 46.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.9% | 10.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4,643 | 1,738 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 15.9 | 8.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 33.1% | -9.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.1" | 51.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 22.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.5 | 36.6 | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
27704
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
37923
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 27704 — Durham, NC · 37923 — Knoxville, TN · How this is calculated: methodology