Signals
28806
28054
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 49%
vs51 · Bottom 42%
Climate
77 · Top 25%
vs72 · Top 39%
Physical resilience
73 · Top 31%
vs66 · Top 41%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 24%
vs75 · Bottom 42%
Schools
57 · Top 43%
vs51 · Bottom 49%
Access
99 · Top 15%
vs98 · Top 22%
Economic stability
40 · Bottom 19%
vs52 · Bottom 36%
Measured values
| Metric | 28806 | 28054 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 43,433 | 41,707 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,273 | $61,035 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,589 | $33,995 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,139/sq mi | 2,157/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $359,200 | $245,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,239 | $1,215 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.9% | 46.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.7% | 22.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.1% | 15.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 86°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 29°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.6" | 43.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.6 min | 27.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.2 | 36.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.03 | 15.81 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 36.6% | 37.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 46.8% | 42.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 86.1% | 94.1% | 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
28806
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
28054
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Full profiles: 28806 — Asheville, NC · 28054 — Gastonia, NC · How this is calculated: methodology