Catawba County, North Carolina
Among the top 10% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 54% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 39% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 14% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 90% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 84% of US counties
- top 12% for airport distance
- top 16% for park & nature access
- bottom 9% for sunny days
Catawba County is a county in North Carolina with about 161,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and D for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include airport distance, park & nature access, and annual snowfall. It rates lower on school quality and sunny days.
Official websitecatawbacountync.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
cold
cool
comf.
warm
hot
warm
comf.
cool
cold
62%51%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.4 in3.6 in
muggy 89%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$62k55th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$47kbetter than 34% of US counties
Home Value$194k65th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$866better than 40% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 60% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.66%better than 69% of US counties
Income Tax4.50%better than 62% of US counties
Sales Tax7.00%better than 61% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden8.87%better than 64% of US counties
Unemployment5.1%better than 42% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)40°F67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)78°F56th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation47.0 in61st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall2.1 inbetter than 72% of US counties
Sunny Days187 daysbetter than 9% of US counties
Summer Humidity68°Fbetter than 35% of US counties
Comfortable Days87 daysbetter than 71% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk80.6better than 19% of US counties
Air Quality43 AQIbetter than 49% of US counties
School Quality37.2better than 11% of US counties
Violent Crime916/100kbetter than 41% of US counties
Property Crime1911/100kbetter than 16% of US counties
Community
Population161,01187th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age41.551st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3965th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9727th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+3848th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)73.5%39th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)8.1%73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)10.4%73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)4.1%93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.0%64th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time22 minbetter than 65% of US counties
Walkability6.5/20better than 62% of US counties
Airport Distance37 mibetter than 88% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access86.4%better than 70% of US counties
Amenities Nearby3.11better than 55% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 84% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Catawba County an affordable place to live?
- Catawba County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $47k, better than 34% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Catawba County?
- The median home value in Catawba County is $194k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Catawba County?
- Median household income in Catawba County is $62k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Catawba County?
- Median gross rent in Catawba County is $866 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Catawba County safe?
- Catawba County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 916/100k (better than 41%). Property crime is 1911/100k.
- What is the weather like in Catawba County?
- Catawba County averages 78°F in July and 40°F in January, with 47.0 in of annual precipitation and about 187 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Catawba County?
- Public-school quality in Catawba County is below average, scoring better than 11% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Catawba County?
- The average one-way commute in Catawba County is 22 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)