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Dobson, NC

Full City Profile · North Carolina · Surry County County

3.0 /5.0
B Good
1,521 Population 749/sq mi density
$44,531 Median Income $25,000 per capita
$168,300 Home Value $241,844 Zillow
$544 Median Rent 24.4% income on rent
56°F Avg Temperature 299 sunny days/yr
190 Violent Crime/100K 2,346 property/100K
B
Overall
3.0 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
B+
Economy
3.8 / 5.0
$44,531 median income, 2.7% unemployment
A+
Affordability
4.6 / 5.0
$168,300 home value, $544/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
190 violent crimes/100K
C+
Education
2.5 / 5.0
19.0% bachelor's degree or higher

Dobson, NC

At a Glance

Median Income
$44,531
41% below
$25,000 per capita
Home Value
$168,300
40% below
Zillow: $241,844
Median Rent
$544/mo
53% below
24.4% of income on rent
Violent Crime
190/100K
50% below
2,346/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
19.0%
44% below
79.3% high school+
Unemployment
2.7%
25% below
3.4% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
38.7%
21% above
16.2% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
56°F
299 sunny days/yr

How Dobson Compares to the U.S. Average

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

Income
59%
Home Value
60%
Rent
47%
Poverty
27%
Bachelor's
56%
Unemployment
75%
Crime
50%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Dobson a Good Place to Live?

B
3.0 / 5.0 — Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Dobson residents earn a median household income of $44,531 , which is 41% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $25,000. The unemployment rate stands at 2.7% (25% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 3.4% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 2,028 business establishments, including 162 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Dobson is $168,300 , 40% below the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $241,844. Median rent is $544/month, with 24.4% 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 1979.

Safety & Crime

Dobson reports 190 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 50% below the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 2,346/100K. The murder rate is 0.0/100K.

Education

19.0% of adults in Dobson hold a bachelor's degree or higher (44% below the national average). 79.3% have completed high school. Local schools score 6.2/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Dobson has an average annual temperature of 56°F (13°C). Winters average 36°F in January while summers reach 75°F in July. The area gets 299 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 50.5 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 40.

Data Overview

People

Population1,521
Median Age37.9 yrs
Density749/mi²
Male / Female56% / 44%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans4.9%

Economy

B+
Median Income$44,531
Per Capita$25,000
Unemployment2.7%
Poverty3.4%
County GDP$3,540M
Avg Weekly Wage$949

Housing

A+
Home Value$168,300
Rent$544
Ownership41.3%
Zillow$241,844
Housing Units644
Rent Burden24.4%

Crime

F
Violent190/100K
Property2,346/100K
Murder0.0/100K
Assault127/100K
Burglary63/100K

Health

Obesity38.7%
Diabetes10.0%
Smoking16.2%
Heart Disease5.8%
Premature Death10,742/100K

Climate

Avg Temp56°F
Sunny Days299/yr
Rain50.5 in/yr
AQI40 (Good)
Elevation1,235 ft

Education

C+
Bachelor's+19.0%
High School+79.3%
Graduate+5.9%
School Score6.2/10

Community

2024 VoteR 76% / D 23%
Commute18 min
Broadband75.6%
Internet Speed186 Mbps
EV Stations5
Libraries5

Did You Know?

Dobson was founded in 1853.
The median home in Dobson was built in 1979.
The nearest airport is Statesville Regional (45 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.481 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA.
19.5% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
Average internet download speed is 186 Mbps.
There are 162 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 14 fatal vehicle crashes.