Goldsboro receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Goldsboro
Hammond
Opportunity
36 · Bottom 13%
vs35 · Bottom 13%
Growth
60 · Top 33%
vs75 · Top 11%
Climate
74 · Top 25%
vs77 · Top 11%
Physical resilience
29 · Bottom 18%
vs21 · Bottom 10%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 42%
vs84 · Bottom 25%
Access
89 · Top 27%
vs76 · Top 50%
Economic stability
42 · Bottom 37%
vs31 · Bottom 21%
Measured values
| Metric | Goldsboro | Hammond | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 118,652 | 136,738 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,733 | $56,760 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,983 | $31,792 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 214/sq mi | 173/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $178,700 | $212,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $965 | $1,003 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.5% | 70.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 5.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.1% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.7% | 20.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.3% | 19.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 884 | 1,131 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.5 | 8.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 4.2% | 7.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 52.3" | 64.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 23 mi | 44 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.6 min | 32.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.3 | 35.9 | 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
Goldsboro
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Hammond
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Goldsboro, NC Metro Area · Hammond, LA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology