Boone, NC
Census place 3707080 · pop 20,032
Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
51.2% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
26.1% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$30,065 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
26.2% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.57 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
87.5% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$411,100 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
11.8% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$1,792/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
23.0% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+4.8% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
32.0% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
11.5% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
58/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.55% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
56.8% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
16 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
Not measured for Boone: Crime, Air, Bad air, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Boone, NC a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Boone scores 44/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 18 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is commute time and its weakest is poverty rate. North Carolina overall ranks #16 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- Is Boone, NC expensive to live in?
- Boone has a median home value of $411,100 and typical rent around $1,792/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Boone, NC?
- Its weakest measured area is poverty rate (51.2%) — 0/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Boone, NC best at?
- Its strongest measured area is commute time (16 min) — 94/100, better than most U.S. cities.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.