28803 and 27701 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
28803
27701
Opportunity
60 · Top 40%
vs61 · Top 37%
Growth
62 · Top 29%
vs71 · Top 15%
Climate
77 · Top 25%
vs72 · Top 43%
Physical resilience
73 · Top 31%
vs69 · Top 36%
Housing affordability
58 · Bottom 20%
vs53 · Bottom 15%
Schools
47 · Bottom 44%
vs52 · Top 50%
Access
99 · Top 15%
vs97 · Top 33%
Economic stability
44 · Bottom 24%
vs50 · Bottom 32%
Measured values
| Metric | 28803 | 27701 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 33,718 | 24,793 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,662 | $69,740 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $53,835 | $52,135 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 879/sq mi | 4,723/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $452,900 | $508,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,556 | $1,351 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.1% | 30.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 55.0% | 53.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.6% | 17.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 896 | 4,643 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.5 | 15.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 70.0% | 33.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 29°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.6" | 46.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.4 min | 22.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.6 | 34.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.43 | 14.35 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 34.2% | 31.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.3% | 45.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 85.5% | 91.5% | 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
28803
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
27701
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 28803 — Asheville, NC · 27701 — Durham, NC · How this is calculated: methodology