Rowan County, North Carolina
Among the top 17% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 32% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 40% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 11% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 67% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 83% of US counties
- top 15% for airport distance
- bottom 9% for school quality
Rowan County is a county in North Carolina with about 147,000 residents. It grades B+ for lifestyle & connectivity and D for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include airport distance, amenities nearby, and broadband access. It rates lower on sunny days and school quality.
Official websiterowancountync.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 4.1 in3.4 in
muggy 94%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$60k48th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$50kbetter than 20% of US counties
Home Value$187k63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$925better than 32% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 54% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.71%better than 63% of US counties
Income Tax4.50%better than 62% of US counties
Sales Tax7.00%better than 61% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.04%better than 60% of US counties
Unemployment6.3%better than 23% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)41°F69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)79°F64th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation45.1 in55th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall2.9 inbetter than 69% of US counties
Sunny Days200 daysbetter than 17% of US counties
Summer Humidity67°Fbetter than 39% of US counties
Comfortable Days84 daysbetter than 63% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk82.9better than 17% of US counties
Air Quality47 AQIbetter than 26% of US counties
School Quality36.2better than 9% of US counties
Violent Crime764/100kbetter than 51% of US counties
Property Crime1703/100kbetter than 20% of US counties
Community
Population147,06786th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age40.743rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4370th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9939th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+3646th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)70.4%35th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)15.8%82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)9.8%71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.1%70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.1%41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time26 minbetter than 37% of US counties
Walkability6.3/20better than 58% of US counties
Airport Distance41 mibetter than 85% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access87.3%better than 75% of US counties
Amenities Nearby7.00better than 77% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 55% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Rowan County an affordable place to live?
- Rowan County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $50k, better than 20% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Rowan County?
- The median home value in Rowan County is $187k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Rowan County?
- Median household income in Rowan County is $60k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Rowan County?
- Median gross rent in Rowan County is $925 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Rowan County safe?
- Rowan County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 764/100k (better than 51%). Property crime is 1703/100k.
- What is the weather like in Rowan County?
- Rowan County averages 79°F in July and 41°F in January, with 45.1 in of annual precipitation and about 200 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Rowan County?
- Public-school quality in Rowan County is below average, scoring better than 9% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Rowan County?
- The average one-way commute in Rowan County is 26 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)