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Boone, NC

Full City Profile · North Carolina · Watauga County County

2.3 /5.0
C Fair
19,534 Population 3,057/sq mi density
$28,633 Median Income $18,600 per capita
$373,600 Home Value $469,649 Zillow
$1,080 Median Rent 51.0% income on rent
50°F Avg Temperature 299 sunny days/yr
131 Violent Crime/100K 1,312 property/100K
C
Overall
2.3 / 5.0
Fair overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
C
Economy
2.3 / 5.0
$28,633 median income, 8.0% unemployment
F
Affordability
1.0 / 5.0
$373,600 home value, $1,080/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
131 violent crimes/100K
A+
Education
5.0 / 5.0
53.1% bachelor's degree or higher

Boone, NC

At a Glance

Median Income
$28,633
62% below
$18,600 per capita
Home Value
$373,600
33% above
Zillow: $469,649
Median Rent
$1,080/mo
7% below
51.0% of income on rent
Violent Crime
131/100K
66% below
1,312/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
53.1%
58% above
92.9% high school+
Unemployment
8.0%
122% above
13.7% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
41.6%
30% above
19.6% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
50°F
299 sunny days/yr

How Boone Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Boone's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
38%
Home Value
133%
Rent
93%
Poverty
110%
Bachelor's
158%
Unemployment
222%
Crime
34%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Boone a Good Place to Live?

C
2.3 / 5.0 — Fair
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Boone residents earn a median household income of $28,633 , which is 62% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $18,600. The unemployment rate stands at 8.0% (122% above the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 13.7% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 2,018 business establishments, including 180 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Boone is $373,600 , 33% above the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $469,649. Median rent is $1,080/month, with 51.0% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 94.3 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1986.

Safety & Crime

Boone reports 131 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 66% below the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 1,312/100K. The murder rate is 0.0/100K.

Education

53.1% of adults in Boone hold a bachelor's degree or higher (58% above the national average). 92.9% have completed high school. Local schools score 6.8/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Boone has an average annual temperature of 50°F (10°C). Winters average 32°F in January while summers reach 68°F in July. The area gets 299 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 59.1 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 40.

Data Overview

People

Population19,534
Median Age21.5 yrs
Density3,057/mi²
Male / Female47% / 53%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans1.1%

Economy

C
Median Income$28,633
Per Capita$18,600
Unemployment8.0%
Poverty13.7%
County GDP$3,193M
Avg Weekly Wage$924

Housing

F
Home Value$373,600
Rent$1,080
Ownership23.7%
Zillow$469,649
Housing Units6,713
Rent Burden51.0%

Crime

F
Violent131/100K
Property1,312/100K
Murder0.0/100K
Assault75/100K
Burglary171/100K

Health

Obesity41.6%
Diabetes13.5%
Smoking19.6%
Heart Disease7.7%
Premature Death6,649/100K

Climate

Avg Temp50°F
Sunny Days299/yr
Rain59.1 in/yr
AQI40 (Good)
Elevation3,326 ft

Education

A+
Bachelor's+53.1%
High School+92.9%
Graduate+27.6%
School Score6.8/10

Community

2024 VoteR 46% / D 52%
Commute15 min
Broadband85.2%
Internet Speed239 Mbps
EV Stations20
Libraries2

Did You Know?

The median home in Boone was built in 1986.
The nearest airport is Foothills Regional (27 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.509 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA.
9.8% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
Average internet download speed is 239 Mbps.
There are 180 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 4 fatal vehicle crashes.