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Emma vs Green Level

186 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (16.8× in Emma) and property tax bill (2.5× in Green Level).

E ×
Emma, NCKnown for its schoolsNorth Carolina · 2,657 people
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Green Level, NCOne of the healthiest townsNorth Carolina · 3,230 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.

EmmaKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 59%of NC districts Health72% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Emma →
Green LevelOne of the healthiest towns
Health86% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Green Level →
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 worker16.8×
Emma is more of a job hub
Emma 0.67Green Level 0.04
Property tax bill2.5×
Tax bills are bigger in Green Level
Green Level $1,317Emma $518
Home values+82%
Homes cost more in Green Level
Green Level $168,400Emma $92,300
Average commute13 min
Emma has the shorter commute
Green Level 33 minEmma 20 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $470 more a month in Green Level

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.

Emma$530/mo
Typical home $92K (Census) · tax rate 0.56% · or rent about $1,064/mo · Housing →
Green Level$990/mo
Typical home $168K (Census) · tax rate 0.78% · or rent about $891/mo · Housing →

The difference: $470 a month, about $5,600 a year, between Green Level and Emma.

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

Emma places higher on 10 of 16 NC lists

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
BEmmaBetter than 59% of districts in the state –Green LevelNot graded
Health
CEmmaHealthier than 28% of U.S. towns DGreen LevelHealthier than 14% of U.S. towns
10Emma
5Green Level

Lists won, of 16 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Shortest commuteGetting around · 297 towns #45#274 Highest graduation rateSchools · 284 towns #57#245 Lowest depressionHealth · 296 towns #139#4 Most remote workersWork · 285 towns #270#177 Lowest obesityHealth · 296 towns #185#281 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 297 towns #159#221 Cheapest rentCost of living · 284 towns #133#77 Highest incomeIncome · 297 towns #257#204

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

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
EmmaGreen Level
Snow a year12″2″
January low29°F—
July high86°F—
Growing season (days)205d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)20th32nd
Community
EmmaGreen Level
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

186 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

EmmaNCGreen LevelNC
Emma ↔ Green Level186 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.

EmmaGreen Level
People
Population 2,657Lowest 3,230Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — +50.1% NC: +9.5%
Median age 29.7±21.8Lowest 24% below NC 32±3.1Highest 18% below NC
Green Level and Emma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 29.5%±0.7Lowest NC: 21.8% 33.9%±7Highest NC: 21.8%
Green Level and Emma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 19.8%±11.5Highest NC: 17.2% 17%±4.4Lowest NC: 17.2%
Emma and Green Level are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 20.8%Highest NC: 35.7% 13.3%Lowest NC: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 12%±8.8Highest NC: 6.4% 3.3%±1.9Lowest NC: 6.4%
Emma and Green Level are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $43,907±$9kLowest 39% below NC $55,823±$10kHighest 23% below NC
Green Level and Emma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $92,300±$11kLowest 68% below NC $168,400±$35kHighest 42% below NC
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,064±$205Highest 13% below NC $891±$106Lowest 27% below NC
Emma and Green Level are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $518Lowest 73% below NC $1,317Highest 31% below NC
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 29.4%±42.4Lowest NC: 48.9% 32.3%±21Highest NC: 48.9%
Green Level and Emma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 11.3%Lowest NC: 13% 19%Highest NC: 13%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 71.8%Highest NC: 66.6% 67.1%Lowest NC: 66.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1991Highest same as NC 1986Lowest 5 yrs older than NC
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 20% below NC 33 minHighest 30% above NC
Work from home 2.8%±4.6Lowest NC: 16.3% 8.9%±5Highest NC: 16.3%
Green Level and Emma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.1%Highest 0.5%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 6.3 miLowest 22.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.67Highest 0.04Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Asheville (44%)Burlington (18%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Green LevelFew work in Emma
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 2%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.3 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.2 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 70.2Highest 67.6Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #226 of 252 in NC—
School district Buncombe County Schools—
High school in town None 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.

Emma neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Emma’s Town Square.

Green Level neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Green Level’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Emma and Green Level

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Emma

A
+ Compare
Asheville94,535 people · $440K homes

Towns like Emma

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Haw River2,824 people · $162K homes
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Navassa2,039 people · $187K homes
+ Compare
Candor1,160 people · $165K homes
+ Compare
Boonville1,593 people · $165K 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.

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