MetricBoone, NCNewton, NC
Population20,03213,333
Median Household Income$30,065$62,015
Median Rent$1,111/mo$1,091/mo
Median Home Value$411,100$186,300
Cost of Living (US = 100)—89
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income74.2%42.9%
Poverty Rate51.2%12%
Unemployment Rate3.5% (county)3.7% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k158439
Property Crime Rate /100k9402,362
Median AQI—42
Good AQI Days /yr—239
Summer Highs78°F87°F
Winter Lows23°F33°F
Snowfall26 in/yr0 in/yr
Avg Commute15.8 min21.7 min
Hospitals1—
Avg Hospital Rating3.0 / 5—
Students per Teacher11.815.9
College Degree Rate56.8%21%
Foreign-Born %4.5%9.6%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+4.2%+5.3%

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