28303 and 27804 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
28303
27804
Opportunity
29 · Bottom 8%
vs24 · Bottom 4%
Growth
21 · Bottom 8%
vs33 · Bottom 22%
Climate
73 · Top 39%
vs75 · Top 29%
Physical resilience
52 · Bottom 45%
vs48 · Bottom 39%
Housing affordability
82 · Top 47%
vs90 · Top 32%
Schools
14 · Bottom 5%
vs3 · Bottom 1%
Access
70 · Bottom 12%
vs71 · Bottom 13%
Economic stability
45 · Bottom 26%
vs51 · Bottom 35%
Measured values
| Metric | 28303 | 27804 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,965 | 30,713 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $58,223 | $61,359 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,649 | $36,419 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,011/sq mi | 716/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $189,500 | $209,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,192 | $1,037 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 47.1% | 54.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 5.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.7% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.3% | 28.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.4% | 11.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 322 | 87 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -68.7% | -21.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.6" | 44.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 56 mi | 47 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.8 min | 23.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.7 | 41.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.67 | 22.17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 23.4% | 9.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 32.2% | 24.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 87.8% | 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
28303
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
27804
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 28303 — Fayetteville, NC · 27804 — Rocky Mount, NC · How this is calculated: methodology