Dunwoody receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
McDonough
Dunwoody
Opportunity
70 · Top 23%
vs89 · Top 1%
Growth
56 · Top 39%
vs39 · Bottom 30%
Climate
75 · Top 29%
vs78 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 29%
vs70 · Top 35%
Housing affordability
63 · Bottom 24%
vs77 · Bottom 45%
Schools
48 · Bottom 46%
vs78 · Top 17%
Access
84 · Bottom 27%
vs83 · Bottom 26%
Economic stability
66 · Top 38%
vs71 · Top 27%
Measured values
| Metric | McDonough | Dunwoody | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,947 | 51,758 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,343 | $121,903 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,041 | $72,129 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,313/sq mi | 3,983/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $314,600 | $602,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,792 | $1,859 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.8% | 56.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 2.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.3% | 1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.5% | 72.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.6% | 6.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 116 | 13 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.7 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -47.5% | -7.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.4" | 51.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 21 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.7 min | 27.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.2 | 37.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 19 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.58 | 14.35 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 28.4% | 45.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 38.5% | 53.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 57.8% | 40.4% | 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: McDonough, GA · Dunwoody, GA · How this is calculated: methodology