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Micro vs Bostic

205 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+77% in Micro) and street grid (2.1× in Micro).

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Micro, NCA small town of 573North Carolina · 573 people

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Bostic, NCHomes around $220KNorth Carolina · 433 people

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.

MicroA small town of 573

Quiet strengthsMicro doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.

All about Micro →

BosticHomes around $220K

Housing$220K typical home34% below the NC typical home All about Bostic →

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.

Property tax bill+77%

Tax bills are bigger in Micro

Micro $1,741Bostic $985

Street grid2.1×

Micro has the more walkable street grid

Micro 60.3Bostic 29.1

Jobs per worker+94%

Bostic is more of a job hub

Bostic 0.64Micro 0.33

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $220 more a month in Bostic

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.

Down paymentRate%

Micro$1,040/mo

Typical home $171K (Census) · tax rate 1.02% · or rent about $917/mo · Housing →

Bostic$1,260/mo

Typical home $220K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.57% · or rent about $855/mo · Housing →

The difference: $220 a month, about $2,600 a year, between Bostic and Micro.

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

B−MicroBetter than 53% of districts in the state B−BosticBetter than 51% of districts in the state

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

MicroBostic

Snow a year1″5″

January low31°F —

July high92°F —

Growing season (days)220d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)57th 35th

Outdoors & history

MicroBostic

Trails0 mi —

Conserved land4.6%—

Settled1890 —

National Register places—1

Archive photos—9

Famous people born here1 1

Community

MicroBostic

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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

205 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MicroNC BosticNC

Micro ↔ Bostic205 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.

Only big differences vs North Carolina average

MicroBostic

People

Population 573Highest 433Lowest

Median age 38.7±12.2 about the NC average 38.7±8.5 about the NC average

Kids under 18 20.9%±5.2Lowest NC: 21.8% 28.2%±9.2Highest NC: 21.8%

Bostic and Micro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 18.7%±7.6Lowest NC: 17.2% 20.6%±6.4Highest NC: 17.2%

Bostic and Micro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 16%Lowest NC: 35.7% 18.8%Highest NC: 35.7%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.5%±5.5Lowest NC: 6.4% 5.5%±4.9Highest NC: 6.4%

Bostic and Micro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $44,531±$29kLowest 38% below NC $57,813±$34kHighest 20% below NC

Bostic and Micro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $170,700±$36kLowest 41% below NC $171,900±$70kHighest 40% below NC

Bostic and Micro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $917±$434Highest 25% below NC $855±$141Lowest 30% below NC

Micro and Bostic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,741Highest 8% below NC $985Lowest 48% below NC

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 76.8%±33.6Highest NC: 48.9% 46.2%±57.8Lowest NC: 48.9%

Micro and Bostic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 22.9%Highest NC: 13% 17.8%Lowest NC: 13%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 66.2%Lowest NC: 66.6% 68.1%Highest NC: 66.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1983Highest 8 yrs older than NC 1975Lowest 16 yrs older than NC

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 27 minHighest 7% above NC 26 minLowest about the NC average

Work from home 20.9%±13.3Highest NC: 16.3% 3.1%±6.1Lowest NC: 16.3%

Micro and Bostic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 0% 0%

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 28.3 miHighest 18.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.33Lowest 0.64Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Raleigh (17%)Forest City (14%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BosticFew work in Micro

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 4.6%Highest 0.5%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 60.3Highest 29.1Lowest

Schools

School district Johnston County Public SchoolsRutherford County Schools

High school in town None in townNone 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.

Micro neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Micro’s Town Square.

Bostic neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bostic’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Micro and Bostic

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

Towns like Micro

Catawba628 people · $163K homes

Peachland443 people · $135K homes

Faison660 people · $104K homes

Middlesex867 people · $217K 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.