Goldsboro receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hammond
Goldsboro
Opportunity
35 · Bottom 13%
vs36 · Bottom 13%
Growth
75 · Top 11%
vs60 · Top 33%
Climate
77 · Top 11%
vs74 · Top 25%
Physical resilience
21 · Bottom 10%
vs29 · Bottom 18%
Housing affordability
84 · Bottom 25%
vs97 · Top 42%
Access
76 · Top 50%
vs89 · Top 27%
Economic stability
31 · Bottom 21%
vs42 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | Hammond | Goldsboro | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 136,738 | 118,652 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,760 | $59,733 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,792 | $31,983 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 173/sq mi | 214/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $212,900 | $178,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,003 | $965 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.3% | 61.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | -3.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.8% | 21.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.2% | 17.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,131 | 884 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.3 | 7.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 7.4% | 4.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 64.2" | 52.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 44 mi | 23 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.2 min | 24.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.9 | 37.3 | 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
Hammond
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, inland flooding.
Goldsboro
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Hammond, LA Metro Area · Goldsboro, NC Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology