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

–MorgantonNot graded CGrahamSafer than 26% of U.S. towns

Schools

BMorgantonBetter than 57% of districts in the state CGrahamBetter than 32% of districts in the state

Health

C−MorgantonHealthier than 20% of U.S. towns C+GrahamHealthier than 39% of U.S. towns

10Morganton

12Graham

Lists won, of 22 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Highest graduation rateSchools · 284 towns #35#245 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 297 towns #23#213 Shortest commuteGetting around · 297 towns #11#186 Lowest depressionHealth · 296 towns #214#63 Most walkableOutdoors · 297 towns #217#88 Fastest growingGrowth · 291 towns #187#66 Most new homesHousing · 92 towns #54#16 Most conserved landOutdoors · 276 towns #95#203

Left end = #1 in North Carolina. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Morganton’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $160 more a month in Graham

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%

Morganton$1,540/mo

Typical home $261K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.76% · or rent about $944/mo · Housing →

Graham$1,690/mo

Typical home $292K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.67% · or rent about $1,071/mo · Housing →

The difference: $160 a month, about $1,900 a year, between Graham and Morganton.

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

MorgantonGraham

Snow a year5″2″

January low28°F —

July high88°F —

Growing season (days)202d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)44th 47th

Outdoors & history

MorgantonGraham

Trails10 mi 4 mi

Conserved land5.4%1.5%

Settled1777 —

National Register places33 6

Archive photos—17

Community

MorgantonGraham

Library hours a week57 hrs 56 hrs

Colleges in town1 1

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

131 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MorgantonNC GrahamNC

Morganton ↔ Graham131 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

MorgantonGraham

People

Population 17,646Lowest 18,048Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +3.3%Lowest NC: +9.5% +21.2%Highest NC: +9.5%

Median age 37.8±3.7 3% below NC 37.8±2.5 3% below NC

Kids under 18 24.4%±3.1Highest NC: 21.8% 20.9%±3Lowest NC: 21.8%

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

Age 65+ 22%±2.6Highest NC: 17.2% 17.8%±2.2Lowest NC: 17.2%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 26.1%Highest NC: 35.7% 24.7%Lowest NC: 35.7%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.9%±1.9Highest NC: 6.4% 5.1%±1.6Lowest NC: 6.4%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $51,355±$3kLowest 29% below NC $56,239±$2kHighest 22% below NC

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $221,700±$21kLowest 23% below NC $233,800±$16kHighest 19% below NC

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $944±$40Lowest 23% below NC $1,071±$55Highest 13% below NC

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,689Highest 11% below NC $1,570Lowest 17% below NC

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 48%±11.7Highest NC: 48.9% 45.1%±7.2Lowest NC: 48.9%

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

Below poverty line 25.7%Highest NC: 13% 16.8%Lowest NC: 13%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 54.7%Highest NC: 66.6% 53.2%Lowest NC: 66.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1976Lowest 15 yrs older than NC 1987Highest 4 yrs older than NC

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 18 minLowest 29% below NC 26 minHighest about the NC average

Work from home 8.1%±2.6Lowest NC: 16.3% 10.3%±2.7Highest NC: 16.3%

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

Work in townworking residents 35.8%Highest 7.7%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 16.3 miLowest 21.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.83Highest 0.94Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Hickory (7%)Burlington (20%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in GrahamFew work in Morganton

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 5.4%Highest 1.5%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 9.6 miHighest 4.3 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 miHighest 0.4 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 14Highest 4Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 38.2Lowest 62.0Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #118 of 252 in NC #174 of 252 in NC

School district The New Dimensions School · Burke County SchoolsAlamance-Burlington Schools · Alamance Community School

High school in town Freedom HighGraham High

Students per teacherat that high school 22.7Highest 18.4Lowest

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.

Morganton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Morganton’s Town Square.

Graham neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Graham’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Morganton and Graham

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

Bordering Morganton

+ Compare

Salem2,377 people · $159K homes

+ Compare

Glen Alpine1,991 people · $173K homes

Towns like Morganton

+ Compare

Albemarle16,762 people · $205K homes

+ Compare

Shelby22,100 people · $197K homes

+ Compare

Statesville29,894 people · $248K homes

+ Compare

Roanoke Rapids14,856 people · $143K 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.

Morganton vs Graham

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Graham places higher on 12 of 22 NC lists

A typical home costs $160 more a month in Graham

What daily life feels like in each

131 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Morganton and Graham

Bordering Morganton

Towns like Morganton

Post to Morganton

Check your email