Lovejoy receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Riverdale
Lovejoy
Opportunity
56 · Top 50%
vs62 · Top 36%
Growth
66 · Top 23%
vs59 · Top 33%
Climate
75 · Top 29%
vs75 · Top 29%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 41%
vs66 · Top 42%
Housing affordability
82 · Top 47%
vs76 · Bottom 43%
Access
90 · Bottom 44%
vs87 · Bottom 35%
Economic stability
64 · Top 42%
vs65 · Top 40%
Measured values
| Metric | Riverdale | Lovejoy | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,792 | 11,508 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,455 | $71,612 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,569 | $28,108 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,369/sq mi | 3,959/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $178,800 | $265,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,360 | $1,481 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.2% | 50.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.3% | 1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.3% | 28.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.4% | 9.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 82 | 98 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.5 | 8.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 310.0% | -59.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.4" | 50.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.5 min | 37.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.3 | 30.4 | 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
Riverdale
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Lovejoy
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: Riverdale, GA · Lovejoy, GA · How this is calculated: methodology