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Waynesville, NC

Census place 3771500 · pop 10,502

D−48/ 100
🫤 Rough
D−
in NC
📍 North Carolina ranks #16 of 50 states →
🏆 Prop tax0.61% · top 17%
🚽 Broadband84.5% · bottom 11%
Taxes
0.61% property · US 0.99%7.00% sales · US 7.00%3.99% flat income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

Google Maps ↗Zillow ↗Wikipedia ↗

The breakdown — worst first

Broadband access84.5%11

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

84.5% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Median household income$54,92320

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$54,923 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Income inequality0.4723

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.47 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Poverty rate15.9%31

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

15.9% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Homeownership57.3%31

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

57.3% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Unemployment rateCounty-level4.1%32

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

4.1% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Adult smoking14.5%38

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

14.5% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Uninsured adults10.5%42

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

10.5% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Physical inactivity26.3%43

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

26.3% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Air quality (AQI)County-level44 AQI44

U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities

44 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Housing cost$281,70050

U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities

$281,700 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Rent$1,713/mo53

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$1,713/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Bachelor's degree or higher32.9%56

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

32.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Adult obesity33.8%56

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

33.8% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level1 days62

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

1 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Poor mental health16.2%63

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

16.2% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Population growth (5yr)+5.4%66

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+5.4% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Commute time20 min77

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

20 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level62/10082

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

62/100 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.

Property-tax burden0.61%83

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.61% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Not measured for Waynesville: Crime, 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 Waynesville, NC a good place to live?
By the numbers, Waynesville scores 48/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is property-tax burden and its weakest is broadband access. 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 Waynesville, NC expensive to live in?
Waynesville has a median home value of $281,700 and typical rent around $1,713/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Waynesville, NC?
Its weakest measured area is broadband access (84.5%) — 11/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Waynesville, NC best at?
Its strongest measured area is property-tax burden (0.61%) — 83/100, 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.