Roswell receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Riverdale
Roswell
Opportunity
56 · Top 50%
vs90 · Top 1%
Growth
66 · Top 23%
vs52 · Top 47%
Climate
75 · Top 29%
vs78 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 41%
vs85 · Top 17%
Housing affordability
82 · Top 47%
vs84 · Top 44%
Schools
11 · Bottom 2%
vs84 · Top 8%
Access
90 · Bottom 44%
vs79 · Bottom 21%
Economic stability
64 · Top 42%
vs73 · Top 22%
Measured values
| Metric | Riverdale | Roswell | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,792 | 92,621 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,455 | $128,654 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,569 | $67,386 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,369/sq mi | 2,274/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $178,800 | $567,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,360 | $1,810 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.2% | 71.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.3% | 1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.3% | 66.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.4% | 7.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 82 | 195 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.5 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 310.0% | 230.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.4" | 51.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 28 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.5 min | 29.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.3 | 40.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.29 | 13.48 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 7.1% | 53.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 19.6% | 57.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 99.4% | 37.8% | 2024-25 school 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.
Roswell
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Riverdale, GA · Roswell, GA · How this is calculated: methodology