27803 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
27803
27804
Opportunity
21 · Bottom 3%
vs24 · Bottom 4%
Growth
33 · Bottom 22%
vs33 · Bottom 22%
Climate
75 · Top 29%
vs75 · Top 29%
Physical resilience
48 · Bottom 39%
vs48 · Bottom 39%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 10%
vs90 · Top 32%
Access
75 · Bottom 16%
vs71 · Bottom 13%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 17%
vs51 · Bottom 35%
Measured values
| Metric | 27803 | 27804 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,055 | 30,713 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $60,124 | $61,359 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,361 | $36,419 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 478/sq mi | 716/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $174,500 | $209,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $913 | $1,037 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.7% | 54.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 5.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.3% | 28.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.2% | 11.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 87 | 87 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -21.6% | -21.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 31°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.4" | 44.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 41 mi | 47 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.2 min | 23.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 46.5 | 41.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.36 | 22.17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 97.7% | 99.0% | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
27803
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
27804
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 27803 — Rocky Mount, NC · 27804 — Rocky Mount, NC · How this is calculated: methodology