Dunwoody receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Buford
Dunwoody
Opportunity
77 · Top 10%
vs89 · Top 1%
Growth
57 · Top 39%
vs39 · Bottom 30%
Climate
80 · Top 17%
vs78 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 47%
vs70 · Top 35%
Housing affordability
63 · Bottom 25%
vs77 · Bottom 45%
Schools
82 · Top 11%
vs78 · Top 17%
Access
70 · Bottom 13%
vs83 · Bottom 26%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 32%
vs71 · Top 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Buford | Dunwoody | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,997 | 51,758 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,471 | $121,903 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,216 | $72,129 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 946/sq mi | 3,983/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $368,700 | $602,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,357 | $1,859 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.2% | 56.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 2.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.2% | 1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.3% | 72.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.6% | 6.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 52 | 13 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -22.4% | -7.1% | 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 | 42 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.6 min | 27.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.4 | 37.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 18 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.30 | 14.35 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 57.6% | 45.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 58.4% | 53.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 42.1% | 40.4% | 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: Buford, GA · Dunwoody, GA · How this is calculated: methodology