30518 and 30043 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
30518
30043
Opportunity
85 · Top 3%
vs84 · Top 4%
Growth
54 · Top 44%
vs61 · Top 32%
Climate
80 · Top 18%
vs78 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
61 · Top 46%
vs61 · Top 47%
Housing affordability
78 · Bottom 47%
vs75 · Bottom 42%
Schools
85 · Top 7%
vs77 · Top 18%
Access
70 · Bottom 12%
vs74 · Bottom 16%
Economic stability
66 · Top 38%
vs66 · Top 38%
Measured values
| Metric | 30518 | 30043 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,912 | 87,929 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $96,936 | $94,096 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,565 | $38,884 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,447/sq mi | 2,659/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $411,000 | $377,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,735 | $1,887 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.6% | 67.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.2% | 1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.3% | 39.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.5% | 10.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 52 | 268 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 8.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -22.4% | -58.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 52.4" | 51.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 41 mi | 35 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.2 min | 35.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.2 | 36.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.23 | 13.79 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 61.9% | 46.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 61.9% | 46.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 38.5% | 62.5% | 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.
Full profiles: 30518 — Buford, GA · 30043 — Lawrenceville, GA · How this is calculated: methodology