McDowell County, North Carolina
Among the top 15% of US counties for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B+, better than 84% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B+, better than 85% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 20% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 45% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 71% of US counties
- top 16% for monthly owner costs
- top 16% for property tax rate
- bottom 11% for property crime
McDowell County is a county in North Carolina with about 45,000 residents. It grades B+ for weather and D for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include monthly owner costs, property tax rate, and comfortable days. It rates lower on school quality and property crime.
Official websitemcdowellgov.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Wet · Light snow
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67%58%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.2 in4.2 in
humid 72%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$54k29th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$46kbetter than 47% of US counties
Home Value$153k46th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$725better than 73% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 84% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.53%better than 84% of US counties
Income Tax4.50%better than 62% of US counties
Sales Tax7.00%better than 61% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden8.32%better than 74% of US counties
Unemployment5.5%better than 34% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)38°F62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)75°F34th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation55.4 in86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall6.4 inbetter than 61% of US counties
Sunny Days233 daysbetter than 45% of US counties
Summer Humidity65°Fbetter than 52% of US counties
Comfortable Days92 daysbetter than 82% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk59.2better than 40% of US counties
School Quality42.8better than 21% of US counties
Violent Crime745/100kbetter than 52% of US counties
Property Crime2188/100kbetter than 11% of US counties
Community
Population44,62966th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age44.374th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2039th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0264th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+4963rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)86.7%62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)3.6%60th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)6.5%60th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.1%70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.1%18th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time25 minbetter than 48% of US counties
Walkability5.4/20better than 29% of US counties
Airport Distance73 mibetter than 66% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access79.7%better than 30% of US counties
Amenities Nearby8.51better than 82% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 76% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is McDowell County an affordable place to live?
- McDowell County is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $46k, better than 47% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in McDowell County?
- The median home value in McDowell County is $153k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in McDowell County?
- Median household income in McDowell County is $54k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in McDowell County?
- Median gross rent in McDowell County is $725 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is McDowell County safe?
- McDowell County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 745/100k (better than 52%). Property crime is 2188/100k.
- What is the weather like in McDowell County?
- McDowell County averages 75°F in July and 38°F in January, with 55.4 in of annual precipitation and about 233 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in McDowell County?
- Public-school quality in McDowell County is below average, scoring better than 21% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in McDowell County?
- The average one-way commute in McDowell County is 25 min.
Other counties in North Carolina
Explore North Carolina
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)