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Drexel vs Spencer

67 miles apart. The biggest differences: average commute (12 min in Drexel) and property tax bill (+37% in Spencer).

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Drexel, NCOne of the healthiest townsNorth Carolina · 2,146 people
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Spencer, NCOne of the healthiest townsNorth Carolina · 3,349 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.

DrexelOne of the healthiest towns
Health72% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Drexel →
SpencerOne of the healthiest towns
Health78% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$205K typical home39% below the NC typical home Outdoors#77 most conserved land in NC0.0 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about Spencer →
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.

Average commute12 min
Drexel has the shorter commute
Spencer 32 minDrexel 20 min
Property tax bill+37%
Tax bills are bigger in Spencer
Spencer $1,827Drexel $1,332
Typical home built24 yrs
Spencer’s homes are older
Drexel 1974Spencer 1950
Jobs per worker+86%
Spencer is more of a job hub
Spencer 0.78Drexel 0.42
Growth since 2010+6.6 pts
Spencer has grown faster since 2010
Spencer +1.3%Drexel -5.3%
★ What stands out · 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.

Schools
BDrexelBetter than 57% of districts in the state CSpencerBetter than 34% of districts in the state
Health
CDrexelHealthier than 28% of U.S. towns C−SpencerHealthier than 22% of U.S. towns
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.

Drexel$1,240/mo
Typical home $214K (Census) · tax rate 0.62% · or rent about $590/mo · Housing →
Spencer$1,230/mo
Typical home $205K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.91% · or rent about $1,000/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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
DrexelSpencer
Snow a year5″2″
January low28°F29°F
July high88°F88°F
Growing season (days)202d208d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)27th27th
Outdoors & history
DrexelSpencer
Trails—0 mi
Conserved land—6.5%
Settled—1905
National Register places—4
Archive photos—15
Famous people born here—5
Community
DrexelSpencer
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

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

67 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

DrexelNCSpencerNC
Drexel ↔ Spencer67 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.

DrexelSpencer
People
Population 2,146Lowest 3,349Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.3%Lowest NC: +9.5% +1.3%Highest NC: +9.5%
Median age 47.2±9.4Highest 21% above NC 44.2±5.9Lowest 13% above NC
Drexel and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.9%±4.3Highest NC: 21.8% 19%±5.7Lowest NC: 21.8%
Drexel and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 22%±3.7Lowest NC: 17.2% 23.4%±6.5Highest NC: 17.2%
Spencer and Drexel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 23.2%Lowest NC: 35.7% 25.6%Highest NC: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.5%±2.3Lowest NC: 6.4% 8.8%±5Highest NC: 6.4%
Spencer and Drexel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $61,992±$13kLowest 14% below NC $65,465±$17kHighest 10% below NC
Spencer and Drexel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $214,400±$20kHighest 26% below NC $201,700±$26kLowest 30% below NC
Drexel and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $590±$218Lowest 52% below NC $1,000±$200Highest 19% below NC
Spencer and Drexel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,332Lowest 30% below NC $1,827Highest 4% below NC
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 44.4%±49.3Lowest NC: 48.9% 51.3%±17.5Highest NC: 48.9%
Spencer and Drexel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 11.7%Highest NC: 13% 11.2%Lowest NC: 13%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 72%Lowest NC: 66.6% 72.7%Highest NC: 66.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1974Highest 17 yrs older than NC 1950Lowest 41 yrs older than NC
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 20% below NC 32 minHighest 27% above NC
Work from home 5.7%±4.8Lowest NC: 16.3% 18.7%±10.7Highest NC: 16.3%
Spencer and Drexel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.5%Lowest 3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.3 miLowest 21.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.42Lowest 0.78Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Morganton (25%)Salisbury (24%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in SpencerFew work in Drexel
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 8.1%Highest 6.5%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 62.4Highest 52.1Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#245 of 252 in NC
School district Burke County SchoolsRowan-Salisbury Schools
High school in town Hallyburton AcademyNorth Rowan High
Students per teacherat that high school 8.5Lowest 20.0Highest
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.

Drexel neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Drexel’s Town Square.

Spencer neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Spencer’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Drexel

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Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks North Carolina towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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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