Rutherford County, North Carolina
Among the top 15% of US counties for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B+, better than 76% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B+, better than 85% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 28% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 52% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 53% of US counties
- top 13% for monthly owner costs
- bottom 19% for property crime
Rutherford County is a county in North Carolina with about 65,000 residents. It grades B+ for weather and C for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include monthly owner costs, comfortable days, and amenities nearby. It rates lower on natural disaster risk and property crime.
Official websiterutherfordcountync.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cool winters · Wet · Light snow
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warm
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67%58%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.5 in4.1 in
muggy 76%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$51k22nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$46kbetter than 43% of US counties
Home Value$158k49th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$729better than 72% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 87% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.61%better than 74% of US counties
Income Tax4.56%better than 59% of US counties
Sales Tax7.00%better than 61% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden8.80%better than 66% of US counties
Unemployment6.0%better than 27% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)40°F66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)76°F44th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation51.9 in78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall4.5 inbetter than 64% of US counties
Sunny Days240 daysbetter than 53% of US counties
Summer Humidity66°Fbetter than 44% of US counties
Comfortable Days90 daysbetter than 78% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk72.7better than 27% of US counties
School Quality51.5better than 44% of US counties
Violent Crime658/100kbetter than 58% of US counties
Property Crime1744/100kbetter than 19% of US counties
Community
Population64,68074th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age44.977th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2952nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9516th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+4659th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)81.9%51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)8.6%74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)5.0%51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.5%47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.9%61st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time25 minbetter than 43% of US counties
Walkability5.7/20better than 38% of US counties
Airport Distance60 mibetter than 74% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access80.5%better than 34% of US counties
Amenities Nearby6.80better than 76% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 50% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Rutherford County an affordable place to live?
- Rutherford County is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $46k, better than 43% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Rutherford County?
- The median home value in Rutherford County is $158k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Rutherford County?
- Median household income in Rutherford County is $51k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Rutherford County?
- Median gross rent in Rutherford County is $729 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Rutherford County safe?
- Rutherford County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 658/100k (better than 58%). Property crime is 1744/100k.
- What is the weather like in Rutherford County?
- Rutherford County averages 76°F in July and 40°F in January, with 51.9 in of annual precipitation and about 240 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Rutherford County?
- Public-school quality in Rutherford County is about average, scoring better than 44% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Rutherford County?
- The average one-way commute in Rutherford 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)