Signals
Palatka
Lumberton
Growth
59 · Top 35%
vs61 · Top 31%
Climate
85 · Top 2%
vs74 · Top 23%
Physical resilience
13 · Bottom 5%
vs26 · Bottom 14%
Housing affordability
85 · Bottom 27%
vs89 · Bottom 33%
Access
83 · Top 36%
vs62 · Bottom 24%
Economic stability
10 · Bottom 2%
vs15 · Bottom 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Palatka | Lumberton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 75,164 | 116,902 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $47,934 | $41,978 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,621 | $23,672 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 103/sq mi | 123/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $160,300 | $94,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $906 | $805 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.4% | 65.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.5% | 14.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 23.4% | 27.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 99 | 386 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.3 | 3.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 41.4% | 6.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 43°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.3" | 42.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 35 mi | 67 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.7 min | 27.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.0 | 36.4 | 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
Palatka
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, wildfire.
Lumberton
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hurricane.
Full profiles: Palatka, FL Micro Area · Lumberton, NC Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology