Lovejoy receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lovejoy
Riverdale
Opportunity
62 · Top 36%
vs56 · Top 50%
Growth
59 · Top 33%
vs66 · Top 23%
Climate
75 · Top 29%
vs75 · Top 29%
Physical resilience
66 · Top 42%
vs67 · Top 41%
Housing affordability
76 · Bottom 43%
vs82 · Top 47%
Access
87 · Bottom 35%
vs90 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
65 · Top 40%
vs64 · Top 42%
Measured values
| Metric | Lovejoy | Riverdale | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,508 | 14,792 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $71,612 | $63,455 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,108 | $30,569 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,959/sq mi | 3,369/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $265,100 | $178,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,481 | $1,360 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.9% | 50.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.3% | 1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.6% | 17.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.2% | 12.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 98 | 82 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.5 | 5.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -59.0% | 310.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.4" | 50.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 37.9 min | 30.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 30.4 | 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
Lovejoy
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Riverdale
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: Lovejoy, GA · Riverdale, GA · How this is calculated: methodology