New Smyrna Beach receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
South Daytona
New Smyrna Beach
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 17%
vs50 · Bottom 37%
Growth
56 · Top 39%
vs56 · Top 40%
Climate
82 · Top 11%
vs82 · Top 11%
Physical resilience
25 · Bottom 21%
vs25 · Bottom 21%
Housing affordability
64 · Bottom 25%
vs66 · Bottom 28%
Access
85 · Bottom 30%
vs90 · Bottom 42%
Economic stability
35 · Bottom 12%
vs37 · Bottom 14%
Measured values
| Metric | South Daytona | New Smyrna Beach | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,543 | 31,974 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,579 | $83,865 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,366 | $57,656 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,659/sq mi | 844/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $222,200 | $395,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,379 | $1,712 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.1% | 77.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.8% | 40.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.9% | 8.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 31 | 195 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 6.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 121.4% | -46.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 49°F | 49°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 51.3" | 51.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 30 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.2 min | 30.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 48.5 | 57.8 | 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
South Daytona
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
New Smyrna Beach
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
South Daytona
55
Your Score
52
Area Score
New Smyrna Beach
57
Your Score
54
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: South Daytona, FL · New Smyrna Beach, FL · How this is calculated: methodology