Graham receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Graham
Asheboro
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 31%
vs43 · Bottom 22%
Growth
54 · Top 43%
vs44 · Bottom 39%
Climate
71 · Top 49%
vs77 · Top 24%
Physical resilience
66 · Top 42%
vs59 · Top 49%
Housing affordability
76 · Bottom 42%
vs77 · Bottom 45%
Schools
27 · Bottom 20%
vs31 · Bottom 24%
Access
81 · Bottom 24%
vs86 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 27%
vs44 · Bottom 22%
Measured values
| Metric | Graham | Asheboro | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,048 | 27,580 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,239 | $47,197 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,057 | $29,259 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,634/sq mi | 1,412/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $233,800 | $188,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,071 | $906 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.2% | 45.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.7% | 19.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.8% | 19.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 220 | 70 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 12.2 | 2.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -49.0% | -38.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 29°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.3" | 46.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 31 mi | 28 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.2 min | 22.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.8 | 37.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.82 | 16.22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 27.8% | 31.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 39.8% | 38.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 75.0% | 78.6% | 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.
Full profiles: Graham, NC · Asheboro, NC · How this is calculated: methodology