New Smyrna Beach receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
New Smyrna Beach
South Daytona
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 37%
vs39 · Bottom 17%
Growth
56 · Top 40%
vs56 · Top 39%
Climate
82 · Top 11%
vs82 · Top 11%
Physical resilience
25 · Bottom 21%
vs25 · Bottom 21%
Housing affordability
66 · Bottom 28%
vs64 · Bottom 25%
Access
90 · Bottom 42%
vs85 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
37 · Bottom 14%
vs35 · Bottom 12%
Measured values
| Metric | New Smyrna Beach | South Daytona | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,974 | 13,543 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $83,865 | $56,579 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $57,656 | $32,366 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 844/sq mi | 3,659/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $395,300 | $222,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,712 | $1,379 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.5% | 64.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.2% | 24.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.2% | 16.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 195 | 31 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.1 | 2.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -46.1% | 121.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 49°F | 49°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 51.3" | 51.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 30 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.6 min | 23.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 57.8 | 48.5 | 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
New Smyrna Beach
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
South Daytona
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
New Smyrna Beach
57
Your Score
54
Area Score
South Daytona
55
Your Score
52
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: New Smyrna Beach, FL · South Daytona, FL · How this is calculated: methodology