Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Green Level vs Emma

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

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

Green LevelOne of the healthiest towns
Health86% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Green Level →
EmmaKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 59%of NC districts Health72% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Emma →
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.

Green Level$990/mo
Typical home $168K (Census) · tax rate 0.78% · or rent about $891/mo · Housing →
Emma$530/mo
Typical home $92K (Census) · tax rate 0.56% · or rent about $1,064/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
–Green LevelNot graded BEmmaBetter than 59% of districts in the state
Health
DGreen LevelHealthier than 14% of U.S. towns CEmmaHealthier than 28% of U.S. towns
5Green Level
10Emma

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

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

Left end = #1 in North Carolina. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Green Level’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
Green LevelEmma
Snow a year2″12″
January low—29°F
July high—86°F
Growing season (days)—205d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)32nd20th
Community
Green LevelEmma
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.

Green LevelNCEmmaNC
Green Level ↔ Emma186 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.

Green LevelEmma
People
Population 3,230Highest 2,657Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +50.1% NC: +9.5% —
Median age 32±3.1Highest 18% below NC 29.7±21.8Lowest 24% 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 33.9%±7Highest NC: 21.8% 29.5%±0.7Lowest 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+ 17%±4.4Lowest NC: 17.2% 19.8%±11.5Highest 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+ 13.3%Lowest NC: 35.7% 20.8%Highest NC: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.3%±1.9Lowest NC: 6.4% 12%±8.8Highest 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 $55,823±$10kHighest 23% below NC $43,907±$9kLowest 39% 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 $168,400±$35kHighest 42% below NC $92,300±$11kLowest 68% below NC
Rentmedian gross, monthly $891±$106Lowest 27% below NC $1,064±$205Highest 13% 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 $1,317Highest 31% below NC $518Lowest 73% below NC
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 32.3%±21Highest NC: 48.9% 29.4%±42.4Lowest 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 19%Highest NC: 13% 11.3%Lowest NC: 13%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 67.1%Lowest NC: 66.6% 71.8%Highest NC: 66.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1986Lowest 5 yrs older than NC 1991Highest same as NC
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 33 minHighest 30% above NC 20 minLowest 20% below NC
Work from home 8.9%±5Highest NC: 16.3% 2.8%±4.6Lowest 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 0.5%Lowest 1.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.3 miHighest 6.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.04Lowest 0.67Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Burlington (18%)Asheville (44%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in EmmaFew work in Green Level
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2%Highest 0%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.3 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 67.6Lowest 70.2Highest
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.

Green Level neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Green Level’s Town Square.

Emma neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Emma’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Green Level and Emma

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

Bordering Green Level

H
+ Compare
Haw River2,824 people · $162K homes

Towns like Green Level

+ Compare
Bessemer City5,580 people · $206K homes
R
+ Compare
Randleman4,644 people · $185K homes
R
+ Compare
Ranlo4,617 people · $200K homes
C
+ Compare
Canton4,419 people · $247K 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.

Post to Green Level

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in