Avery County, North Carolina
Among the top 7% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B+, better than 71% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 23% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B+, better than 80% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 78% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 93% of US counties
- top 3% for park & nature access
- top 4% for amenities nearby
- bottom 13% for annual snowfall
Avery County is a county in North Carolina with about 18,000 residents. It grades A for lifestyle & connectivity and D for weather. Standout strengths include park & nature access, amenities nearby, and property tax rate. It rates lower on cost of living and annual snowfall.
Official websiteaverycountync.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot summers · Cool winters · Wet · Heavy snow
cold
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warm
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66%56%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.7 in4.4 in
muggy 72%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$54k29th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$48kbetter than 29% of US counties
Home Value$216k72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$811better than 52% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 70% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.42%better than 93% of US counties
Income Tax4.50%better than 62% of US counties
Sales Tax7.00%better than 61% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden8.51%better than 72% of US counties
Unemployment5.0%better than 44% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)38°F62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)76°F46th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation59.4 in95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall47.5 inbetter than 13% of US counties
Sunny Days233 daysbetter than 45% of US counties
Summer Humidity65°Fbetter than 52% of US counties
Comfortable Days82 daysbetter than 57% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk47.5better than 51% of US counties
Air Quality39 AQIbetter than 70% of US counties
School Quality71.3better than 76% of US counties
Violent Crime360/100kbetter than 79% of US counties
Property Crime576/100kbetter than 68% of US counties
Community
Population17,67938th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age46.584th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2038th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.2195th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+5369th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)87.5%64th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)3.6%60th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)5.1%52nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.5%41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.3%48th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time21 minbetter than 76% of US counties
Walkability6.4/20better than 60% of US counties
Airport Distance82 mibetter than 60% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access81.1%better than 37% of US counties
Amenities Nearby22.06better than 96% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 98% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Avery County an affordable place to live?
- Avery County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $48k, better than 29% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Avery County?
- The median home value in Avery County is $216k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Avery County?
- Median household income in Avery County is $54k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Avery County?
- Median gross rent in Avery County is $811 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Avery County safe?
- Avery County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 360/100k (better than 79%). Property crime is 576/100k.
- What is the weather like in Avery County?
- Avery County averages 76°F in July and 38°F in January, with 59.4 in of annual precipitation and about 233 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Avery County?
- Public-school quality in Avery County is above average, scoring better than 76% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Avery County?
- The average one-way commute in Avery County is 21 min.
Other counties in North Carolina
Explore North Carolina
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)