28803 and 27705 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
27705
Opportunity
60 · Top 40%
vs63 · Top 33%
Growth
62 · Top 29%
vs71 · Top 15%
Climate
77 · Top 25%
vs78 · Top 22%
Physical resilience
73 · Top 31%
vs65 · Top 43%
Housing affordability
58 · Bottom 20%
vs54 · Bottom 16%
Schools
47 · Bottom 44%
vs50 · Bottom 47%
Access
99 · Top 15%
vs94 · Top 47%
Economic stability
44 · Bottom 24%
vs43 · Bottom 23%
Measured values
| Metric | 28803 | 27705 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 33,718 | 49,923 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,662 | $73,066 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $53,835 | $53,574 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 879/sq mi | 1,187/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $452,900 | $455,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,556 | $1,539 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.1% | 44.5% | 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% | 63.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.6% | 16.6% | 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 | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 29°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.6" | 46.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.4 min | 22.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.6 | 35.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.43 | 13.91 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 34.2% | 33.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.3% | 41.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 85.5% | 99.4% | 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.
27705
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 28803 — Asheville, NC · 27705 — Durham, NC · How this is calculated: methodology