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Compare towns

Madison vs Andrews

231 miles apart. The biggest differences: home values (+88% in Madison) and property tax bill (2.1× in Madison).

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Madison, NCA regional job hubNorth Carolina · 2,242 people
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Andrews, NCOne of the healthiest townsNorth Carolina · 1,998 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.

MadisonA regional job hub
Work1,867 jobsbased in Madison, a regional job hub Housing$226K typical home32% below the NC typical home Health68% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Madison →
AndrewsOne of the healthiest towns
Health88% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates HistorySettled in 18373 places on the National Register Housing$215K typical home36% below the NC typical home All about Andrews →
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.

Home values+88%
Homes cost more in Madison
Madison $184,900Andrews $98,600
Property tax bill2.1×
Tax bills are bigger in Madison
Madison $1,598Andrews $764
Trails2.4×
Madison has more miles of trail
Madison 1.7 miAndrews 0.7 mi
Typical home built25 yrs
Madison’s homes are older
Andrews 1985Madison 1960
Street grid+79%
Andrews has the more walkable street grid
Andrews 78.4Madison 43.8
★ 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.

Safety
CMadisonSafer than 32% of U.S. towns –AndrewsNot graded
Schools
C+MadisonBetter than 43% of districts in the state C+AndrewsBetter than 35% of districts in the state
Health
CMadisonHealthier than 32% of U.S. towns DAndrewsHealthier than 12% 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.

Madison$1,350/mo
Typical home $226K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.86% · or rent about $830/mo · Housing →
Andrews$1,270/mo
Typical home $215K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.77% · or rent about $712/mo · Housing →

The difference: $80 a month, about $1,000 a year, between Madison and Andrews.

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
MadisonAndrews
Snow a year9″4″
January low29°F25°F
July high87°F87°F
Growing season (days)202d180d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)54th58th
Outdoors & history
MadisonAndrews
Trails2 mi1 mi
Conserved land5.3%5%
Settled—1837
National Register places33
Archive photos1212
Famous people born here62
Community
MadisonAndrews
Library hours a week53 hrs37 hrs
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

231 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MadisonNCAndrewsNC
Madison ↔ Andrews231 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.

MadisonAndrews
People
Population 2,242Highest 1,998Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.2%Highest NC: +9.5% -6.4%Lowest NC: +9.5%
Median age 47.5±4.6Highest 21% above NC 46.6±3Lowest 19% above NC
Madison and Andrews are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 13.9%±4.1Lowest NC: 21.8% 22.6%±6.4Highest NC: 21.8%
Andrews and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 22.2%±4.3Lowest NC: 17.2% 24.1%±7Highest NC: 17.2%
Andrews and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.1%Highest NC: 35.7% 12.6%Lowest NC: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.4%±4.2Highest NC: 6.4% 1.8%±1.5Lowest NC: 6.4%
Madison and Andrews are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $52,593±$9kHighest 27% below NC $37,061±$8kLowest 49% below NC
Madison and Andrews are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $184,900±$34kHighest 36% below NC $98,600±$17kLowest 66% below NC
Rentmedian gross, monthly $830±$146Highest 32% below NC $712±$54Lowest 42% below NC
Madison and Andrews are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,598Highest 16% below NC $764Lowest 60% below NC
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 27.3%±12Lowest NC: 48.9% 47%±13.3Highest NC: 48.9%
Andrews and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 8%Lowest NC: 13% 21.4%Highest NC: 13%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 57.7%Highest NC: 66.6% 57.6%Lowest NC: 66.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1960Lowest 31 yrs older than NC 1985Highest 6 yrs older than NC
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 20 minHighest 20% below NC 18 minLowest 29% below NC
Work from home 10.1%±6Highest NC: 16.3% 2%±2.3Lowest NC: 16.3%
Madison and Andrews are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 8.5%Lowest 15.4%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.8 miLowest 25.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.91Highest 1.49Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Greensboro (19%)Murphy (7%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in AndrewsFew work in Madison
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 5.3%Highest 5%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 1.7 miHighest 0.7 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 miHighest 0.4 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 2Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 43.8Lowest 78.4Highest
Schools
School district Rockingham County SchoolsCherokee County Schools
High school in town None in townAndrews High
Students per teacherat that high school — 24.1
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.

Madison neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Madison’s Town Square.

Andrews neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Andrews’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Madison and Andrews

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Bordering Madison

M
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Mayodan2,401 people · $121K homes

Towns like Madison

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Sparta1,928 people · $210K homes
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Wallace3,457 people · $178K homes
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Hertford1,618 people · $177K homes
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Spruce Pine2,398 people · $208K 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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