Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every North Carolina ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools

BBethlehemBetter than 64% of districts in the state CRed OakBetter than 25% of districts in the state

Health

BBethlehemHealthier than 59% of U.S. towns A−Red OakHealthier than 81% of U.S. towns

4Bethlehem

12Red Oak

Lists won, of 17 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Best schoolsSchools · 252 towns #91#218 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 297 towns #207#69 Lowest depressionHealth · 296 towns #139#28 Fastest growingGrowth · 291 towns #156#238 Fewest smokersHealth · 296 towns #154#71 Shortest commuteGetting around · 297 towns #184#105 HealthiestHealth · 296 towns #143#77 Lowest obesityHealth · 296 towns #123#62

Left end = #1 in North Carolina. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Bethlehem’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Bethlehem$1,890/mo

Typical home $327K (Census) · tax rate 0.64% · or rent about $795/mo · Housing →

Red Oak$1,950/mo

Typical home $338K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.62% · Housing →

The difference: $60 a month, about $700 a year, between Red Oak and Bethlehem.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

BethlehemRed Oak

Snow a year0″1″

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)55th 49th

Outdoors & history

BethlehemRed Oak

Trails0 mi 2 mi

Conserved land0%0.9%

National Register places—2

Community

BethlehemRed Oak

Library hours a week28 hrs —

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined1 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

191 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BethlehemNC Red OakNC

Bethlehem ↔ Red Oak191 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs North Carolina average

BethlehemRed Oak

People

Population 4,101Highest 3,405Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +6.6%Highest NC: +9.5% -2.6%Lowest NC: +9.5%

Median age 52.7±4Highest 35% above NC 49.5±6.6Lowest 27% above NC

Bethlehem and Red Oak are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 13.3%±4.8Lowest NC: 21.8% 18.8%±5.9Highest NC: 21.8%

Red Oak and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 27.9%±4.1Lowest NC: 17.2% 30.7%±8.8Highest NC: 17.2%

Red Oak and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 43.3%Highest NC: 35.7% 37%Lowest NC: 35.7%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.7%±4.4Highest NC: 6.4% 1.6%±1.6Lowest NC: 6.4%

Bethlehem and Red Oak are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $87,795±$15kLowest 21% above NC $90,214±$12kHighest 25% above NC

Red Oak and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $327,000±$41kHighest 13% above NC $271,800±$109kLowest 6% below NC

Bethlehem and Red Oak are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $795±$59 35% below NC —

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,108Highest 11% above NC $1,683Lowest 11% below NC

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 44.3%±23.5Highest NC: 48.9% 29.1%±56.6Lowest NC: 48.9%

Bethlehem and Red Oak are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 4.5%Highest NC: 13% 2.2%Lowest NC: 13%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 89.5%Lowest NC: 66.6% 96.1%Highest NC: 66.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1992Highest 1 yr newer than NC 1990Lowest 1 yr older than NC

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 26 minHighest about the NC average 23 minLowest 10% below NC

Work from home 9.2%±6.4Lowest NC: 16.3% 12.9%±8Highest NC: 16.3%

Red Oak and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 3.7%Highest 1.9%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.8 miLowest 12.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.43Highest 0.14Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Hickory (29%)Rocky Mount (34%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Red OakFew work in Bethlehem

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 0.9%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 1.7 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 28.5Highest 6.4Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #91 of 252 in NC #218 of 252 in NC

School district Alexander County SchoolsNash County Public Schools

High school in town None in townNone in town

North Carolina average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Bethlehem neighborsTown Square →

T Weaver · 1w

Outdoors in Bethlehem

1 neighbor in Bethlehem can answer.

Red Oak neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Red Oak’s Town Square.

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Bordering Bethlehem

+ Compare

St. Stephens9,457 people · $213K homes

Towns like Bethlehem

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River Bend2,874 people · $266K homes

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Eastover3,666 people · $242K homes

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Carolina Beach6,745 people · $566K homes

+ Compare

Mills River7,281 people · $436K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Bethlehem vs Red Oak

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Red Oak places higher on 12 of 17 NC lists

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

191 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Outdoors in Bethlehem

Set another town beside Bethlehem and Red Oak

Bordering Bethlehem

Towns like Bethlehem

Post to Bethlehem

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