MetricBoone, NCMorganton, NC
Population20,03217,646
Median Household Income$30,065$51,355
Median Rent$1,111/mo$944/mo
Median Home Value$411,100$221,700
Cost of Living (US = 100)—89
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income74.2%44.1%
Poverty Rate51.2%25.7%
Unemployment Rate3.5% (county)3.9% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k158268
Property Crime Rate /100k9402,284
Median AQI——
Good AQI Days /yr——
Summer Highs78°F86°F
Winter Lows23°F30°F
Snowfall26 in/yr5 in/yr
Avg Commute15.8 min17.7 min
Hospitals12
Avg Hospital Rating3.0 / 54.0 / 5
Students per Teacher11.815.5
College Degree Rate56.8%26.1%
Foreign-Born %4.5%10.6%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+4.2%+2.3%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.