Signals
Smithfield
Albemarle
Opportunity
69 · Top 24%
vs74 · Top 15%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs78 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
63 · Top 45%
vs48 · Bottom 40%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 39%
vs74 · Bottom 40%
Schools
28 · Bottom 20%
vs26 · Bottom 18%
Access
83 · Bottom 26%
vs75 · Bottom 17%
Economic stability
25 · Bottom 3%
vs28 · Bottom 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Smithfield | Albemarle | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,116 | 16,762 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $43,270 | $46,881 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,986 | $28,131 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 954/sq mi | 931/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $242,500 | $204,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $658 | $880 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.7% | 56.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 6.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.7% | 20.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 27.3% | 24.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 91°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 52.3" | 48.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 35 mi | 44 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 26.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.9 | 39.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.36 | 14.96 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 27.4% | 27.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 40.3% | 36.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 99.0% | 98.8% | 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
Smithfield
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Albemarle
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hurricane.
Your best match
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Smithfield
59
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Area Score
Albemarle
58
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Area Score
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Full profiles: Smithfield, NC · Albemarle, NC · How this is calculated: methodology