28304 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
28304
28303
Opportunity
27 · Bottom 6%
vs29 · Bottom 8%
Growth
21 · Bottom 8%
vs21 · Bottom 8%
Climate
73 · Top 39%
vs73 · Top 39%
Physical resilience
52 · Bottom 45%
vs52 · Bottom 45%
Housing affordability
80 · Bottom 49%
vs82 · Top 47%
Schools
32 · Bottom 25%
vs14 · Bottom 5%
Access
67 · Bottom 10%
vs70 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
48 · Bottom 31%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Measured values
| Metric | 28304 | 28303 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 37,140 | 30,965 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $58,563 | $58,223 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,435 | $35,649 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,135/sq mi | 2,011/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $172,000 | $189,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,312 | $1,192 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.4% | 47.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.7% | -2.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.0% | 31.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.1% | 15.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 322 | 322 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 1.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -68.7% | -68.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.6" | 44.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 60 mi | 56 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.1 min | 19.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.6 | 34.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.49 | 19.67 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 27.0% | 23.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 39.8% | 32.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 85.0% | 87.8% | 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
28304
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
28303
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 28304 — Fayetteville, NC · 28303 — Fayetteville, NC · How this is calculated: methodology