28479 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
28479
28451
Opportunity
76 · Top 12%
vs77 · Top 10%
Growth
79 · Top 5%
vs79 · Top 5%
Climate
83 · Top 11%
vs83 · Top 11%
Physical resilience
21 · Bottom 16%
vs21 · Bottom 16%
Housing affordability
82 · Top 47%
vs72 · Bottom 38%
Schools
62 · Top 36%
vs58 · Top 41%
Access
95 · Top 40%
vs95 · Top 38%
Economic stability
63 · Top 43%
vs53 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | 28479 | 28451 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,581 | 46,933 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,391 | $81,481 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,201 | $44,021 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 71/sq mi | 273/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $327,000 | $351,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,386 | $1,612 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 83.3% | 82.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.4% | 36.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.1% | 9.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 908 | 908 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 30.7 | 30.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 5.2% | 5.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 60.1" | 60.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.8 min | 27.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.2 | 44.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.53 | 17.99 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 41.5% | 43.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 48.6% | 47.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 99.4% | 99.7% | 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
28479
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
28451
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 28479 — Leland, NC · 28451 — Leland, NC · How this is calculated: methodology