Smyrna receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Buford
Smyrna
Opportunity
77 · Top 10%
vs90 · Top 1%
Growth
57 · Top 39%
vs77 · Top 8%
Climate
80 · Top 17%
vs74 · Top 32%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 47%
vs66 · Top 42%
Housing affordability
63 · Bottom 25%
vs77 · Bottom 44%
Schools
82 · Top 11%
vs49 · Bottom 46%
Access
70 · Bottom 13%
vs86 · Bottom 33%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 32%
vs67 · Top 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Buford | Smyrna | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,997 | 56,633 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,471 | $100,061 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,216 | $64,689 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 946/sq mi | 3,503/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $368,700 | $449,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,357 | $1,739 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.2% | 59.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.2% | 2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.3% | 59.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.6% | 10.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 52 | 382 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 6.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -22.4% | 226.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 52.4" | 48.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 42 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.6 min | 31.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.4 | 35.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 18 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.30 | 13.76 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 57.6% | 27.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 58.4% | 34.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 42.1% | 58.8% | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Buford
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Smyrna
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: Buford, GA · Smyrna, GA · How this is calculated: methodology