Signals
Kinston
Gaffney
Growth
54 · Top 43%
vs74 · Top 13%
Climate
74 · Top 25%
vs72 · Top 29%
Physical resilience
27 · Bottom 16%
vs47 · Bottom 38%
Housing affordability
89 · Bottom 34%
vs94 · Bottom 47%
Access
97 · Top 12%
vs80 · Top 43%
Economic stability
22 · Bottom 12%
vs27 · Bottom 18%
Measured values
| Metric | Kinston | Gaffney | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 54,919 | 56,647 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $45,143 | $50,288 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,431 | $27,406 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 138/sq mi | 144/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $120,500 | $142,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $861 | $869 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.2% | 73.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.3% | 18.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.0% | 18.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 153 | 268 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.8 | 4.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 16.8% | 29.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 52.3" | 43.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 39 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 27.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.9 | 40.4 | 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
Kinston
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Gaffney
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, cold wave, earthquake.
Full profiles: Kinston, NC Micro Area · Gaffney, SC Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology