29631 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
29631
28801
Opportunity
67 · Top 26%
vs54 · Bottom 47%
Growth
76 · Top 8%
vs62 · Top 29%
Climate
79 · Top 18%
vs77 · Top 25%
Physical resilience
63 · Top 45%
vs73 · Top 31%
Housing affordability
41 · Bottom 6%
vs38 · Bottom 5%
Access
85 · Bottom 28%
vs98 · Top 17%
Economic stability
24 · Bottom 4%
vs19 · Bottom 2%
Measured values
| Metric | 29631 | 28801 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,849 | 14,691 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $48,800 | $58,438 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,954 | $44,456 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,934/sq mi | 2,876/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $400,400 | $548,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,053 | $1,232 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 40.8% | 37.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 3.9% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 63.2% | 54.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 37.1% | 27.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 267 | 896 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 14.8 | 9.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 14.1% | 70.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 29°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 49.0" | 40.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 26 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.6 min | 16.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 23.0 | 43.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.70 | 13.77 | 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
29631
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, cold wave, earthquake.
28801
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 29631 — Clemson, SC · 28801 — Asheville, NC · How this is calculated: methodology