27886 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
27886
27801
Opportunity
20 · Bottom 2%
vs14 · Bottom 1%
Growth
46 · Bottom 42%
vs33 · Bottom 22%
Climate
75 · Top 29%
vs75 · Top 29%
Physical resilience
36 · Bottom 28%
vs36 · Bottom 28%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 16%
vs89 · Top 35%
Schools
17 · Bottom 6%
vs18 · Bottom 8%
Access
75 · Bottom 17%
vs75 · Bottom 16%
Economic stability
30 · Bottom 9%
vs27 · Bottom 6%
Measured values
| Metric | 27886 | 27801 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,381 | 19,532 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $52,850 | $44,884 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,693 | $22,495 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 96/sq mi | 293/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $133,200 | $115,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $843 | $859 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.8% | 49.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 5.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.7% | 15.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.6% | 27.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 25 | 87 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 31.6% | -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 | 40 mi | 41 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.5 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 47.9 | 34.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.56 | 15.62 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 18.7% | 16.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 30.4% | 33.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 98.4% | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
27886
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hurricane.
27801
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hurricane.
Full profiles: 27886 — Tarboro, NC · 27801 — Rocky Mount, NC · How this is calculated: methodology