Signals
42701
28601
Opportunity
38 · Bottom 17%
vs46 · Bottom 31%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs78 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 38%
vs64 · Top 43%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 28%
vs90 · Top 32%
Schools
65 · Top 33%
vs60 · Top 38%
Access
82 · Bottom 24%
vs77 · Bottom 18%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 36%
vs47 · Bottom 29%
Measured values
| Metric | 42701 | 28601 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 53,987 | 53,329 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,619 | $67,817 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,340 | $40,441 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 333/sq mi | 1,133/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $260,300 | $261,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $934 | $1,029 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.6% | 68.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.4% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.3% | -2.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.0% | 36.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.5% | 12.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 86°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 54.4" | 47.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 33 mi | 44 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.7 min | 23.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.1 | 41.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 16 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.77 | 18.36 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 32.5% | 47.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 50.5% | 48.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 48.4% | 99.5% | 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.
Kentucky and North Carolina do not give the same test. Each state writes its own assessment and sets its own passing score, so the two proficiency rows above are not directly comparable — the difference between them partly measures which standard is harder. Students per teacher and the school count are unaffected, and each profile ranks its own proficiency within its own state.
Physical risk tradeoff
42701
Elevated or high exposure: hail, earthquake.
28601
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Full profiles: 42701 — Elizabethtown, KY · 28601 — Hickory, NC · How this is calculated: methodology