42122 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
28542
42122
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 28%
vs57 · Top 46%
Growth
59 · Top 34%
vs71 · Top 14%
Climate
80 · Top 18%
vs74 · Top 32%
Physical resilience
10 · Bottom 4%
vs30 · Bottom 24%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
75 · Bottom 16%
vs70 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
100 · Top 1%
vs80 · Top 12%
Measured values
| Metric | 28542 | 42122 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,508 | 5,513 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $125,491 | $113,705 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,030 | $45,915 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,204/sq mi | 146/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,451 | $1,013 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 0.0% | 88.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 5.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.3% | 33.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 0.0% | 4.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 541 | 447 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.6 | 5.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 551.8% | 49.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 56.5" | 50.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 40 mi | 54 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 9.1 min | 25.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 20.8 | 43.4 | 2024 ACS 5-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
28542
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
42122
Elevated or high exposure: hail, earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 28542 — Jacksonville, NC · 42122 — Bowling Green, KY · How this is calculated: methodology