Mills River, NC
Census place 3743260 · pop 7,281
Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,863/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$436,100 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
+0.4% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.6% 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 90.0% · better than most cities
91.7% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
11.7% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
21 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
7.6% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
43.7% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
71/100 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 26.5% · better than most cities
20.0% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$105,398 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
29.0% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
14.5% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.50% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities
85.6% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.37 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
2.6% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
Not measured for Mills River: 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 Mills River, NC a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Mills River scores 62/100 — a C (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 18 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is poverty rate and its weakest is rent. 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 Mills River, NC expensive to live in?
- Mills River has a median home value of $436,100 and typical rent around $2,863/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Mills River, NC?
- Its weakest measured area is rent ($2,863/mo) — 10/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Mills River, NC best at?
- Its strongest measured area is poverty rate (2.6%) — 97/100, 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.