Pinehurst-Southern Pines receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Charlottesville
Pinehurst-Southern Pines
Opportunity
86 · Top 2%
vs79 · Top 11%
Growth
59 · Top 35%
vs81 · Top 5%
Climate
76 · Top 14%
vs75 · Top 17%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 30%
vs68 · Top 33%
Housing affordability
76 · Bottom 18%
vs88 · Bottom 32%
Access
52 · Bottom 15%
vs68 · Bottom 34%
Economic stability
66 · Top 31%
vs55 · Top 44%
Measured values
| Metric | Charlottesville | Pinehurst-Southern Pines | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 224,335 | 104,876 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $93,598 | $86,080 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $53,701 | $45,505 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 136/sq mi | 150/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $430,300 | $351,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,598 | $1,254 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.3% | 76.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53.5% | 41.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.0% | 10.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,339 | 1,043 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.0 | 9.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -38.6% | 1.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 28°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.2" | 47.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 76 mi | 56 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.6 min | 28.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.4 | 43.0 | 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
Charlottesville
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Pinehurst-Southern Pines
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Charlottesville
69
Your Score
73
Area Score
Pinehurst-Southern Pines
73
Your Score
76
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Charlottesville, VA Metro Area · Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology