29302 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
29302
27040
Opportunity
63 · Top 33%
vs59 · Top 42%
Growth
50 · Bottom 49%
vs52 · Top 46%
Climate
76 · Top 26%
vs78 · Top 20%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 36%
vs62 · Top 46%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 23%
vs96 · Top 18%
Access
85 · Bottom 28%
vs87 · Bottom 32%
Economic stability
51 · Bottom 34%
vs59 · Bottom 49%
Measured values
| Metric | 29302 | 27040 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,918 | 12,665 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,819 | $92,601 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,011 | $44,384 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 393/sq mi | 480/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $285,400 | $278,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,080 | $1,514 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.9% | 93.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 3.0% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.5% | 45.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.2% | 7.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 33 | 1,521 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 6.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.0% | -1.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 49.7" | 43.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 31 mi | 26 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 27.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.6 | 41.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 7.06 | 17.54 | 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
29302
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, cold wave, earthquake.
27040
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 29302 — Spartanburg, SC · 27040 — Winston-Salem, NC · How this is calculated: methodology