Lumberton receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lumberton
Orange
Opportunity
57 · Top 48%
vs43 · Bottom 23%
Growth
70 · Top 17%
vs66 · Top 23%
Climate
76 · Top 27%
vs76 · Top 27%
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 32%
vs29 · Bottom 23%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs93 · Top 25%
Schools
68 · Top 29%
vs39 · Bottom 34%
Access
64 · Bottom 9%
vs80 · Bottom 22%
Economic stability
69 · Top 32%
vs34 · Bottom 11%
Measured values
| Metric | Lumberton | Orange | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,963 | 19,177 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $107,623 | $62,891 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,801 | $33,841 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,041/sq mi | 899/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $291,900 | $164,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,067 | $1,108 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 85.5% | 59.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.8% | 18.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.7% | 15.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 61 | 119 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.4 | 6.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 90.6% | -16.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 44°F | 44°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 62.1" | 62.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 64 mi | 37 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.9 min | 25.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.8 | 35.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.44 | 13.64 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 47.6% | 33.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 49.6% | 34.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 38.6% | 67.7% | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Lumberton
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Orange
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: Lumberton, TX · Orange, TX · How this is calculated: methodology