Buford receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Buford
Goodlettsville
Opportunity
77 · Top 10%
vs75 · Top 15%
Growth
57 · Top 39%
vs49 · Bottom 48%
Climate
80 · Top 17%
vs71 · Top 49%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 47%
vs53 · Bottom 45%
Housing affordability
63 · Bottom 25%
vs63 · Bottom 24%
Access
70 · Bottom 13%
vs92 · Bottom 49%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 32%
vs65 · Top 40%
Measured values
| Metric | Buford | Goodlettsville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,997 | 17,597 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,471 | $70,758 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,216 | $42,275 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 946/sq mi | 1,222/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $368,700 | $381,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,357 | $1,385 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.2% | 60.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.2% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.3% | 33.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.6% | 9.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 52 | 57 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 3.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -22.4% | 50.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 52.4" | 50.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 42 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.6 min | 28.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.4 | 38.5 | 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.
Your best match
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Buford
68
Your Score
70
Area Score
Goodlettsville
67
Your Score
65
Area Score
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Full profiles: Buford, GA · Goodlettsville, TN · How this is calculated: methodology