Carrboro receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Carrboro
Freehold
Opportunity
62 · Top 38%
vs65 · Top 32%
Growth
41 · Bottom 33%
vs37 · Bottom 28%
Climate
77 · Top 24%
vs70 · Bottom 47%
Physical resilience
60 · Top 48%
vs52 · Bottom 44%
Housing affordability
64 · Bottom 26%
vs62 · Bottom 22%
Access
92 · Top 49%
vs86 · Bottom 31%
Economic stability
64 · Top 42%
vs63 · Top 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Carrboro | Freehold | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,204 | 12,507 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,743 | $85,707 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $55,875 | $35,668 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,271/sq mi | 6,474/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $539,400 | $416,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,470 | $1,832 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.5% | 53.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | 0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 69.9% | 29.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.2% | 14.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 26 | 6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 0.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 116.7% | 100.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.6" | 45.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 30 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 24.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.4 | 35.5 | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Carrboro
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Freehold
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, earthquake, hurricane.
Full profiles: Carrboro, NC · Freehold, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology