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Living in
Greensboro.
About
Life in Greensboro
If you're seriously considering moving to Greensboro, here's what actually matters: you're looking at a mid-sized city in the Piedmont with real economic traction, surprisingly affordable housing, and a diverse population that keeps things interesting. The median home value sits around $244,800 with median rent at $1,172 a month—meaningfully lower than most comparable metros—while the unemployment rate hovers around 4.4%, backed by a solid job market anchored by major employers like FedEx's regional hub, Honda Aircraft Company, Toyota's new $1.3 billion battery plant, and dozens of established manufacturers and tech firms that give you actual career options beyond service work. The commute averages 22 minutes, which is genuinely reasonable, and the city's central location on I-40, I-85, and I-73 puts you 29 miles from Winston-Salem, under an hour from Durham's research triangle, and within reasonable driving distance of Charlotte and the mountains.
Greensboro at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
17.0%
Foreign-Born
12.7%
Broadband Internet
90.9%
of households
Population Growth
+3.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics12.7% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Greensboro: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Greensboro, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (14.5%), and 7.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.7%
of residents
65 and Older
14.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
28.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
37.1%
of households
Married Couples
33.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.29
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for NC
Rent, home values, and income in Greensboro
In Greensboro, home values are 15% below the NC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
92.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,286
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
50.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1985
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $260,573 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts above NC average
Unemployment in Greensboro
Unemployment in Greensboro is 0.6 percentage points higher than the NC average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Greensboro Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute21.7 min avg
How Greensboro residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Greensboro, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 78% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 8 mi
Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO)
Small hub1.0M passengers boarded in 2025
- 58 mi
Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)
Medium hub7.7M passengers boarded in 2025
- 87 mi
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Major hub25.9M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 113% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Greensboro runs 113% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
701.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,980.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Greensboro Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 22 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
93.4 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Guilford County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Guilford County, which includes Greensboro, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 22 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22 | Thunderstorm Wind | $210,000 |
| 2024 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $306,000 |
| 2023 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $195,000 |
| 2022 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.1M |
| 2021 | 15 | Winter Weather | $1.1M |
| 2020 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.8M |
| 2019 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | $194,000 |
| 2018 | 22 | Flash Flood | $81.8M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Guilford County, county-wide
Air Quality41 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Guilford County, which includes Greensboro, is typically good — 274 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
41
Good Days
274
per year
Moderate Days
91
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Guilford County, county-wide
Climate87°F summers, 32°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Greensboro has warm summers (avg high 87°F) and cold winters (avg low 32°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
71°/48°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
87°/68°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
71°/50°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
52°/32°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
45.9"
Annual Snowfall
7.1"
Hot Days/Year
42
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
62
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
108
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°F | 30°F | 3.21" |
| Feb | 54°F | 33°F | 2.55" |
| Mar | 62°F | 39°F | 3.72" |
| Apr | 71°F | 48°F | 3.63" |
| May | 79°F | 58°F | 3.30" |
| Jun | 85°F | 65°F | 5.12" |
| Jul | 89°F | 71°F | 5.80" |
| Aug | 87°F | 68°F | 4.53" |
| Sep | 81°F | 61°F | 4.37" |
| Oct | 71°F | 49°F | 3.18" |
| Nov | 61°F | 39°F | 3.05" |
| Dec | 53°F | 33°F | 3.43" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Greensboro
Greensboro has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
8.4%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
The Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
High Point Regional Health System
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13.9 mi away · High Point
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Greensboro
Greensboro's student/teacher ratio is 15.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 41.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
74
within city limits
Private Schools
13
within city limits
College Degree Rate
41.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Greensboro
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Public · 4-year · 14,062 students · in-state tuition $7,731 · 61% graduate · median earnings $53,402 (10 yrs after entry)
North Carolina A & T State University
Public · 4-year · 12,182 students · in-state tuition $6,813 · 58% graduate · median earnings $50,279 (10 yrs after entry)
Strayer University-North Carolina
Private for-profit · 4-year · 2,671 students · in-state tuition $13,920 · 12% graduate · median earnings $44,016 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,001 students · in-state tuition $42,320 · 49% graduate · median earnings $52,803 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 708 students · in-state tuition $21,660 · 48% graduate · median earnings $50,121 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 178 students · in-state tuition $19,140 · 24% graduate · median earnings $43,355 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 5,129 students · in-state tuition $49,146 · 65% graduate · median earnings $73,547 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, 3 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Greensboro
Greensboro has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Guilford Courthouse National Military Park (3 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
National Military Park
3 mi awayBooker T Washington National Monument
National Monument
71 mi awayPublic Libraries in Greensboro
Greensboro Public Library
219 N Church St, Greensboro
Blanche Benjamin Branch Library
1530 Benjamin Pkwy, Greensboro
Glenn Mcnairy Branch Library
4860 Lake Jeanette Rd, Greensboro
Glenwood Branch
1901 W Florida St, Greensboro
Hemphill Branch Library
2301 W Vandalia Rd, Greensboro
Kathleen Clay Edwards Family Branch
1420 Price Park Rd, Greensboro
Mcgirt-Horton Branch Library
2501 Phillips Ave, Greensboro
Vance H. Chavis Lifelong Learning Center
900 S. Benbow Rd, Greensboro
Cities Near Greensboro
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Greensboro?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Greensboro FAQ
Is Greensboro, North Carolina affordable?⌄
Greensboro's median rent is $1,172/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $61,515/year. Median home value is $244,800.
Is Greensboro, North Carolina safe?⌄
Greensboro's violent crime rate was 702 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2980 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Greensboro, North Carolina?⌄
Greensboro has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Greensboro, North Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Greensboro is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,172/month and median household income is $61,515/year. The median home value is $244,800. About 51% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Greensboro, North Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Greensboro is 22 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from