Pinehurst-Southern Pines and Gainesville receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | Pinehurst-Southern Pines | Gainesville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 104,876 | 212,705 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,080 | $80,901 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,505 | $38,556 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 150/sq mi | 542/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $351,400 | $350,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,254 | $1,341 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.4% | 68.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | 1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.0% | 27.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.1% | 11.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,043 | 2,096 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.9 | 9.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 1.2% | 9.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 31°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.8" | 52.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 56 mi | 59 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.9 min | 29.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.0 | 38.4 | 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
Pinehurst-Southern Pines
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Gainesville
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
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Full profiles: Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC Metro Area · Gainesville, GA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology