30318 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
30318
27606
Opportunity
84 · Top 3%
vs80 · Top 6%
Growth
62 · Top 28%
vs69 · Top 12%
Climate
74 · Top 34%
vs72 · Top 44%
Physical resilience
86 · Top 11%
vs72 · Top 26%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 36%
vs64 · Bottom 42%
Access
90 · Bottom 16%
vs97 · Top 47%
Economic stability
49 · Bottom 29%
vs50 · Bottom 30%
Measured values
| Metric | 30318 | 27606 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 59,609 | 45,444 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $83,116 | $78,371 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $56,870 | $47,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,932/sq mi | 1,858/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $430,600 | $457,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,722 | $1,432 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 41.4% | 37.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.3% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 56.9% | 60.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.9% | 18.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 5,975 | 5,124 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 12.0 | 10.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -16.9% | -0.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.1" | 46.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 23.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.1 | 30.9 | 2024 ACS 5-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.
Full profiles: 30318 — Atlanta, GA · 27606 — Raleigh, NC · How this is calculated: methodology