MetricKinston, NCWilson, NC
Population19,50548,370
Median Household Income$36,878$52,485
Median Rent$867/mo$971/mo
Median Home Value$119,300$210,700
Cost of Living (US = 100)——
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income44.1%43.3%
Poverty Rate27.9%23%
Unemployment Rate5.5%5.7%
Violent Crime Rate /100k776475
Property Crime Rate /100k4,0392,168
Median AQI35—
Good AQI Days /yr——
Summer Highs89°F88°F
Winter Lows37°F34°F
Snowfall1 in/yr2 in/yr
Avg Commute20.7 min21.3 min
Hospitals11
Avg Hospital Rating4.0 / 51.0 / 5
Students per Teacher16.416.1
College Degree Rate16.4%24.5%
Foreign-Born %3.6%6.9%
Population Growth (2020–2025)-0.5%+2.3%

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