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Compare towns

Madison vs Spruce Pine

121 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+6.1 pts in Spruce Pine) and property tax bill (+21% in Madison).

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Madison, NCA regional job hubNorth Carolina · 2,242 people
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Spruce Pine, NCA regional job hubNorth Carolina · 2,398 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 →
Spruce PineA regional job hub
Work1,918 jobsbased in Spruce Pine, a regional job hub HistorySettled in 19132 places on the National Register Housing$258K typical home23% below the NC typical home All about Spruce Pine →
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.

Growth since 2010+6.1 pts
Spruce Pine has grown faster since 2010
Spruce Pine +0.9%Madison -5.2%
Property tax bill+21%
Tax bills are bigger in Madison
Madison $1,598Spruce Pine $1,324
Bachelor’s degree++9.3 pts
More adults in Spruce Pine have a degree
Spruce Pine 24.4%Madison 15.1%
★ What stands out · 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 →
Spruce Pine$1,490/mo
Typical home $258K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.64% · or rent about $837/mo · Housing →

The difference: $140 a month, about $1,700 a year, between Spruce Pine and Madison.

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.

Safety
CMadisonSafer than 32% of U.S. towns –Spruce PineNot graded
Schools
C+MadisonBetter than 43% of districts in the state BSpruce PineBetter than 58% of districts in the state
Health
CMadisonHealthier than 32% of U.S. towns B−Spruce PineHealthier than 50% 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
MadisonSpruce Pine
Snow a year9″13″
January low29°F23°F
July high87°F79°F
Growing season (days)202d171d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)54th46th
Outdoors & history
MadisonSpruce Pine
Trails2 mi2 mi
Conserved land5.3%2.5%
Settled—1913
National Register places32
Archive photos1218
Famous people born here64
Community
MadisonSpruce Pine
Library hours a week53 hrs45 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

121 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MadisonNCSpruce PineNC
Madison ↔ Spruce Pine121 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.

MadisonSpruce Pine
People
Population 2,242Lowest 2,398Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.2%Lowest NC: +9.5% +0.9%Highest NC: +9.5%
Median age 47.5±4.6Lowest 21% above NC 48.6±7.8Highest 24% above NC
Spruce Pine and Madison 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% 15.1%±3.9Highest NC: 21.8%
Spruce Pine and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 22.2%±4.3Highest NC: 17.2% 21.7%±3.1Lowest NC: 17.2%
Madison and Spruce Pine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.1%Lowest NC: 35.7% 24.4%Highest NC: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.4%±4.2Highest NC: 6.4% 4.9%±3.3Lowest NC: 6.4%
Madison and Spruce Pine 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 $42,098±$9kLowest 42% below NC
Madison and Spruce Pine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $184,900±$34kLowest 36% below NC $207,500±$41kHighest 28% below NC
Spruce Pine and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $830±$146Lowest 32% below NC $837±$121Highest 32% below NC
Spruce Pine and Madison 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 $1,324Lowest 30% below NC
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 27.3%±12Lowest NC: 48.9% 46.8%±16.3Highest NC: 48.9%
Spruce Pine 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% 22.5%Highest NC: 13%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 57.7%Lowest NC: 66.6% 64.4%Highest NC: 66.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1960Lowest 31 yrs older than NC 1968Highest 23 yrs older than NC
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 20% below NC 22 minHighest 14% below NC
Work from home 10.1%±6Highest NC: 16.3% 3.9%±4.3Lowest NC: 16.3%
Madison and Spruce Pine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 8.5%Lowest 16.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.8 miHighest 10.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.91Lowest 2.14Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Greensboro (19%)Bakersville (4%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Spruce PineFew work in Madison
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 5.3%Highest 2.5%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 1.7 miHighest 1.5 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 43.8Highest 39.6Lowest
Schools
School district Rockingham 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.

Madison neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Madison’s Town Square.

Spruce Pine neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Spruce Pine’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Madison

M
+ Compare
Mayodan2,401 people · $121K homes

Towns like Madison

+ Compare
Sparta1,928 people · $210K homes
W
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Wallace3,457 people · $178K homes
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Andrews1,998 people · $99K homes
H
+ Compare
Hertford1,618 people · $177K 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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