Braselton receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Pinehurst
Braselton
Opportunity
80 · Top 7%
vs70 · Top 22%
Growth
59 · Top 34%
vs61 · Top 31%
Climate
68 · Bottom 40%
vs80 · Top 17%
Physical resilience
68 · Top 39%
vs71 · Top 35%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 43%
vs85 · Top 43%
Access
64 · Bottom 9%
vs70 · Bottom 13%
Economic stability
48 · Bottom 28%
vs69 · Top 31%
Measured values
| Metric | Pinehurst | Braselton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,256 | 15,178 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $109,802 | $120,984 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $64,219 | $58,658 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,092/sq mi | 1,142/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $476,600 | $459,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,664 | $2,082 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 85.2% | 74.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 60.9% | 44.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.3% | 6.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 56 | 309 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.1 | 20.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -36.4% | -36.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.2" | 52.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 61 mi | 48 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.8 min | 33.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 60.6 | 40.5 | 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
Pinehurst
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Braselton
Elevated or high exposure: lightning.
Full profiles: Pinehurst, NC · Braselton, GA · How this is calculated: methodology