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Compare towns

Emma vs Navassa

274 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (7.5× in Emma) and property tax bill (2.4× in Navassa).

E ×
Emma, NCKnown for its schoolsNorth Carolina · 2,657 people
N ×
Navassa, NCOne of the healthiest townsNorth Carolina · 2,039 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 →
NavassaOne of the healthiest towns
Health77% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Navassa →
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.

Street grid7.5×
Emma has the more walkable street grid
Emma 70.2Navassa 9.4
Property tax bill2.4×
Tax bills are bigger in Navassa
Navassa $1,229Emma $518
Home values2×
Homes cost more in Navassa
Navassa $187,100Emma $92,300
Kids under 18+9.8 pts
Emma has more kids
Emma 29.5%Navassa 19.7%
Average commute7 min
Emma has the shorter commute
Navassa 27 minEmma 20 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,130 more a month in Navassa

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 →
Navassa$1,660/mo
Typical home $287K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.66% · or rent about $1,313/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,130 a month, about $13,600 a year, between Navassa 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

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
BEmmaBetter than 59% of districts in the state –NavassaNot graded
Health
CEmmaHealthier than 28% of U.S. towns C−NavassaHealthier than 23% 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
EmmaNavassa
Snow a year12″1″
January low29°F—
July high86°F—
Growing season (days)205d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)20th94th
Outdoors & history
EmmaNavassa
Trails—2 mi
Conserved land—6.6%
Community
EmmaNavassa
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

274 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

EmmaNCNavassaNC
Emma ↔ Navassa274 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.

EmmaNavassa
People
Population 2,657Highest 2,039Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — -9.2% NC: +9.5%
Median age 29.7±21.8Lowest 24% below NC 33.5±7.7Highest 14% below NC
Navassa and Emma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 29.5%±0.7Highest NC: 21.8% 19.7%±2.3Lowest NC: 21.8%
Age 65+ 19.8%±11.5Highest NC: 17.2% 16.2%±4.1Lowest NC: 17.2%
Emma and Navassa 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% 16.7%Lowest NC: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 12%±8.8Highest NC: 6.4% 6.9%±6.1Lowest NC: 6.4%
Emma and Navassa 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 $62,000±$9kHighest 14% below NC
Navassa 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 $187,100±$35kHighest 35% below NC
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,064±$205Lowest 13% below NC $1,313±$235Highest 7% above NC
Navassa and Emma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $518Lowest 73% below NC $1,229Highest 35% below NC
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 29.4%±42.4Lowest NC: 48.9% 75.8%±27.2Highest NC: 48.9%
Navassa and Emma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 11.3%Highest NC: 13% 9.2%Lowest NC: 13%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 71.8%Lowest NC: 66.6% 78.5%Highest NC: 66.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1991Lowest same as NC 2000Highest 9 yrs newer than NC
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 20% below NC 27 minHighest 8% above NC
Work from home 2.8%±4.6Lowest NC: 16.3% 6.1%±7Highest NC: 16.3%
Navassa 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%Lowest 2.2%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 6.3 miLowest 9.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.67Highest 0.62Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Asheville (44%)Wilmington (35%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in NavassaFew work in Emma
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 6.6%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 2.2 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.2 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 70.2Highest 9.4Lowest
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.

Navassa neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Navassa’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Emma and Navassa

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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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Green Level3,230 people · $168K homes
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Candor1,160 people · $165K homes
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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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