Compare towns

Micro vs Wade

41 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (2.5× in Micro) and average commute (5 min in Micro).

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

Wade, NCA small town of 518North Carolina · 518 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.

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 →

WadeA small town of 518

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

All about Wade →

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 grid2.5×

Micro has the more walkable street grid

Micro 60.3Wade 24.6

Average commute5 min

Micro has the shorter commute

Wade 32 minMicro 27 min

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $740 more a month in Wade

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 →

Wade$1,780/mo

Typical home $300K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.81% · Housing →

The difference: $740 a month, about $8,900 a year, between Wade 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 –WadeNot graded

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

MicroWade

Snow a year1″1″

January low31°F 32°F

July high92°F 91°F

Growing season (days)220d 227d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)57th 51st

Outdoors & history

MicroWade

Trails0 mi 1 mi

Conserved land4.6%3.5%

Settled1890 —

National Register places—1

Archive photos—8

Famous people born here1 —

Community

MicroWade

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

41 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MicroNC WadeNC

Micro ↔ Wade41 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

MicroWade

People

Population 573Highest 518Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — +14.7% NC: +9.5%

Median age 38.7±12.2Lowest about the NC average 41.9±16Highest 7% above NC

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

Kids under 18 20.9%±5.2Lowest NC: 21.8% 25.1%±6.4Highest NC: 21.8%

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

Age 65+ 18.7%±7.6Highest NC: 17.2% 16.8%±6.1Lowest NC: 17.2%

Micro and Wade 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% 16.6%Highest NC: 35.7%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.5%±5.5Highest NC: 6.4% 1%±1.3Lowest NC: 6.4%

Micro and Wade 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 $70,938±$31kHighest about the NC average

Wade 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 $215,000±$116kHighest 26% below NC

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $917±$434 25% below NC —

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,741Lowest 8% below NC $1,750Highest 8% below NC

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 76.8%±33.6Highest NC: 48.9% 50.7%±42.1Lowest NC: 48.9%

Micro and Wade 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% 19.3%Lowest NC: 13%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 66.2%Lowest NC: 66.6% 68.5%Highest NC: 66.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1983Lowest 8 yrs older than NC 1986Highest 5 yrs older than NC

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 27 minLowest 7% above NC 32 minHighest 27% above NC

Work from home 20.9%±13.3Highest NC: 16.3% 12.1%±7.5Lowest NC: 16.3%

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

Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 0.5%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 28.3 miHighest 14.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.33Lowest 0.45Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Raleigh (17%)Fayetteville (44%)

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

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 4.6%Highest 3.5%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.5 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.3 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 2Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 60.3Highest 24.6Lowest

Schools

School district Johnston County Public 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.

Micro neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Micro’s Town Square.

Wade neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Wade’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Micro and Wade

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

Towns like Micro

+ Compare

Bostic433 people · $172K homes

+ Compare

Catawba628 people · $163K homes

+ Compare

Peachland443 people · $135K homes

+ Compare

Faison660 people · $104K 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.

Micro vs Wade

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

A typical home costs $740 more a month in Wade

Grades and rankings, side by side

What daily life feels like in each

41 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Micro and Wade

Towns like Micro

Post to Micro

Check your email