Cleveland County, North Carolina
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 46% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 26% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 16% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 63% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 17% of US counties
- top 11% for airport distance
- bottom 10% for school quality
Cleveland County is a county in North Carolina with about 100,000 residents. It grades B for getting around and D for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include airport distance, cost of living, and annual snowfall. It rates lower on sunny days and school quality.
- The median home value in Cleveland County is $155k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Cleveland County is $51k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Cleveland County is $794 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Cleveland County has a violent crime rate of 854/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Cleveland County is 25 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
cold
cool
comf.
warm
hot
warm
comf.
cool
cold
64%54%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.4 in3.8 in
muggy 88%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$51k22nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$43kbetter than 74% of US counties
Home Value$155k47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$794better than 55% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$25kbetter than 20% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.74%better than 60% of US counties
Income Tax4.50%better than 62% of US counties
Sales Tax7.00%better than 61% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.07%better than 59% of US counties
Unemployment6.4%better than 22% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)42°F71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)80°F66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation49.1 in70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall4.1 inbetter than 65% of US counties
Sunny Days197 daysbetter than 14% of US counties
Summer Humidity68°Fbetter than 35% of US counties
Comfortable Days82 daysbetter than 57% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk70.0better than 29% of US counties
School Quality36.4better than 10% of US counties
Violent Crime854/100kbetter than 45% of US counties
Property Crime1383/100kbetter than 29% of US counties
Community
Population99,52781st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age41.449th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4369th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9410th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+3343rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)71.5%37th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)20.1%85th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)4.1%44th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.9%66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.4%49th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time25 minbetter than 47% of US counties
Walkability5.7/20better than 38% of US counties
Airport Distance36 mibetter than 89% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access76.5%better than 19% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.90better than 36% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 38% of US counties
Data sources
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- Is Cleveland County an affordable place to live?
- Cleveland County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $43k, better than 74% of comparable areas. Median rent is $794.
- Is Cleveland County safe?
- Cleveland County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 854/100k (better than 45%). Property crime is 1383/100k.
- What is the weather like in Cleveland County?
- Cleveland County averages 80°F in July and 42°F in January, with 49.1 in of annual precipitation and about 197 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Cleveland County?
- Public-school quality in Cleveland County is below average, scoring better than 10% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Cleveland County?
- The average one-way commute in Cleveland County is 25 min.