Daphne-Fairhope-Foley receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Wilmington
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley
Opportunity
74 · Top 17%
vs73 · Top 18%
Growth
81 · Top 5%
vs83 · Top 4%
Climate
83 · Top 3%
vs84 · Top 2%
Physical resilience
25 · Bottom 13%
vs29 · Bottom 18%
Housing affordability
72 · Bottom 14%
vs85 · Bottom 27%
Access
97 · Top 12%
vs82 · Top 38%
Economic stability
49 · Bottom 48%
vs49 · Bottom 48%
Measured values
| Metric | Wilmington | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 453,347 | 246,989 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,471 | $78,775 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,500 | $42,357 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 237/sq mi | 155/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $362,400 | $316,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,389 | $1,277 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.1% | 77.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.4% | 33.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.9% | 10.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 8,147 | 2,985 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 18.0 | 12.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -0.9% | -4.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 39°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 60.1" | 65.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 30 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.1 min | 29.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.4 | 43.9 | 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
Wilmington
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley
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.
Wilmington
69
Your Score
67
Area Score
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley
69
Your Score
69
Area Score
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Full profiles: Wilmington, NC Metro Area · Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology