What it's like to live in Kernersville
Kernersville is a small city in North Carolina with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, unemployment below the national average, and crime rates well below the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Kernersville deals with air quality that falls short of national benchmarks and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Growing population
The not so good
- Air quality concerns
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Kernersville compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Kernersville
Based on Kernersville's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,164
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $43,280 a year
- 44% of Kernersville renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$58,140
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $29,070
- Homes cost 4.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 23% below US
$1,082/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,082 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $290,700. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $290,700 · 44% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 19% below US
3.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.5%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 31% below US
228 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 2785/100k · Kernersville Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 13% below US
23 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.6 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 13% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 87°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 32°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforceNear US average
37% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 37% 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
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. 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 Guilford Courthouse National Military Park (14 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Kernersville's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are air quality that falls short of national benchmarks and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit. A year of median rent ($1,082/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and anyone prioritizing low crime.
See all the data for Kernersville →·All North Carolina cities →
Other places near Kernersville
All North Carolina guides →Moving to High Point →
9 mi away · pop. 116,245
Rent $1,116/mo · Income $64,561
Compare with Kernersville →Moving to Winston-Salem →
10 mi away · pop. 252,037
Rent $1,087/mo · Income $59,268
Compare with Kernersville →Moving to Greensboro →
14 mi away · pop. 301,198
Rent $1,172/mo · Income $61,515
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