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Hendersonville.

All Hendersonville data Compare Hendersonville

15,408people live here $53,449median household income▼ 34% below US $1,332median rent per monthNear US average $317,000median home valueNear US average

What it's like to live in Hendersonville

Hendersonville is a small city in North Carolina with county unemployment below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, a highly educated workforce, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.

The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Hendersonville deals with household incomes below the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, above-average rainfall, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.

The good

Low unemployment in the county
Short commutes
Highly educated workforce
Average class sizes

The not so good

Below-average household incomes
High rent burden for renters
Above-average rainfall
Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
Car-dependent — few commuters use transit

How Hendersonville compares

Median household income

Hendersonville$53,449

North Carolina avg$72,388

US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

Hendersonville$1,332

North Carolina avg$1,228

US$1,413

Median home value

Hendersonville$317,000

North Carolina avg$288,900

US$332,700

What it takes to move to Hendersonville

Based on Hendersonville's median rent, home value and household income

To rent

$2,664

up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit

Income to keep rent under 30%: $53,280 a year
56% of Hendersonville renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$63,400

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $31,700
Homes cost 5.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of livingNear US average

$1,332/mo median rent

Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,332 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $317,000. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.

Median home value $317,000 · 56% of renters cost-burdened

Job market

3.5% county unemployment

Unemployment in Henderson County is 3.5%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.

Henderson County (county-wide)

SafetyNear US average

323 violent crimes per 100k

Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.

Property crime 2854/100k · Hendersonville Police Department · 2025 data

Getting around▼ 26% below US

19 min average commute

Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19.2 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

76%

Carpool

12%

Work from home

8.7%

Walk

1.8%

Other

1.7%

Public transit

0.3%

Climate

Summers are warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 28°F and snow a regular occurrence. It's a wet climate overall.

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)

30-year averages, 1991–2020

Healthcare

1 hospital

There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 5.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.

Medicare-certified hospitals

Education & workforceNear US average

38% bachelor's degree or higher

Education levels run about average, with 38% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.

Schools

4 public schools inside the boundary

There are 4 public schools inside the boundary and 5 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.

Parks & recreation

The nearest national park or historic site is Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site (4 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

Hendersonville's strongest points are county unemployment below the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin. A year of median rent ($1,332/mo) equals 30% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.

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