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Compare towns

Dobson vs Troy

85 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (2.4× in Dobson) and average commute (7 min in Dobson).

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Dobson, NCA regional job hubNorth Carolina · 1,652 people
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Troy, NCAn outdoors townNorth Carolina · 2,926 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

DobsonA regional job hub
Work2,877 jobsbased in Dobson, a regional job hub College town1 collegeSurry Community College SchoolsBetter than 72%of NC districts All about Dobson →
TroyAn outdoors town
Outdoors#25 most conserved land in NC0.7 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves Housing$196K typical home42% below the NC typical home SchoolsBetter than 39%of NC districts All about Troy →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Jobs per worker2.4×
Dobson is more of a job hub
Dobson 5.01Troy 2.08
Average commute7 min
Dobson has the shorter commute
Troy 25 minDobson 18 min
Conserved land+13.1 pts
Troy has more conserved land
Troy 13.3%Dobson 0.2%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $400 more a month in Dobson

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.

Dobson$1,560/mo
Typical home $266K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.74% · or rent about $528/mo · Housing →
Troy$1,150/mo
Typical home $196K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.77% · or rent about $675/mo · Housing →

The difference: $400 a month, about $4,800 a year, between Dobson and Troy.

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.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

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.

Safety
–DobsonNot graded CTroySafer than 28% of U.S. towns
Schools
B+DobsonBetter than 72% of districts in the state C+TroyBetter than 39% of districts in the state
Health
C+DobsonHealthier than 42% of U.S. towns B−TroyHealthier than 51% of U.S. towns
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
DobsonTroy
Snow a year8″3″
January low25°F33°F
July high86°F90°F
Growing season (days)186d235d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)20th42nd
Outdoors & history
DobsonTroy
Trails0 mi1 mi
Conserved land0.2%13.3%
Settled18531853
National Register places13
Archive photos1212
Famous people born here81
Community
DobsonTroy
Library hours a week41 hrs46 hrs
Colleges in town11
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

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

85 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

DobsonNCTroyNC
Dobson ↔ Troy85 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.

DobsonTroy
People
Population 1,652Lowest 2,926Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -7.8%Highest NC: +9.5% -10.6%Lowest NC: +9.5%
Median age 35.8±2.3Lowest 8% below NC 36.9±5.1Highest 6% below NC
Troy and Dobson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.5%±7.4Highest NC: 21.8% 15.9%±4.9Lowest NC: 21.8%
Dobson and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 18.6%±2.3Lowest NC: 17.2% 18.9%±4.6Highest NC: 17.2%
Troy and Dobson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 24.3%Highest NC: 35.7% 20.8%Lowest NC: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.5%±2.4Lowest NC: 6.4% 3.8%±2.3Highest NC: 6.4%
Troy and Dobson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $43,750±$19kLowest 40% below NC $51,731±$20kHighest 29% below NC
Troy and Dobson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $173,900±$96kHighest 40% below NC $160,100±$29kLowest 45% below NC
Dobson and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $528±$107Lowest 57% below NC $675±$63Highest 45% below NC
Troy and Dobson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,290Highest 32% below NC $1,237Lowest 35% below NC
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 42.2%±16.6Highest NC: 48.9% 26.1%±9.4Lowest NC: 48.9%
Dobson and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 22.4%Highest NC: 13% 20.2%Lowest NC: 13%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 48.7%Highest NC: 66.6% 48.4%Lowest NC: 66.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1979Highest 12 yrs older than NC 1972Lowest 19 yrs older than NC
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 18 minLowest 28% below NC 25 minHighest about the NC average
Work from home 5.4%±7.3Lowest NC: 16.3% 7.4%±5.7Highest NC: 16.3%
Troy and Dobson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 17.4%Lowest 18.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.3 miLowest 23.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 5.01Highest 2.08Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Mount Airy (16%)Charlotte (7%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in TroyFew work in Dobson
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.2%Lowest 13.3%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.7 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.2 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 2Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 47.3Lowest 49.7Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#227 of 252 in NC
School district Surry County SchoolsMontgomery County Schools
High school in town Surry Central HighMontgomery Learning Academy
Students per teacherat that high school 16.7Highest 7.7Lowest
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.

Dobson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Dobson’s Town Square.

Troy neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Homes in Troy

1 neighbor in Troy can answer.

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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.

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