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Compare towns

Morganton vs Salem

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (28.3× in Morganton) and size (7.4× in Morganton).

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Morganton, NCA colonial town, settled 1777North Carolina · 17,646 people
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Salem, NCOne of the healthiest townsNorth Carolina · 2,377 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.

MorgantonA colonial town, settled 1777
HistorySettled in 177733 places on the National Register Work17,388 jobsbased in Morganton, a regional job hub Schools#118 for schools in NCof 252 towns All about Morganton →
SalemOne of the healthiest towns
Health90% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Salem →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Jobs per worker28.3×
Morganton is more of a job hub
Morganton 2.83Salem 0.10
Size7.4×
Morganton is the bigger place
Morganton 17,646Salem 2,377
Property tax bill+66%
Tax bills are bigger in Morganton
Morganton $1,689Salem $1,015
Work in town+35.1 pts
More of Morganton’s workers stay in town
Morganton 35.8%Salem 0.7%
Home values+39%
Homes cost more in Morganton
Morganton $221,700Salem $159,100
Household income+34%
Households in Salem earn more
Salem $68,988Morganton $51,355
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $620 more a month in Morganton

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.

Morganton$1,540/mo
Typical home $261K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.76% · or rent about $944/mo · Housing →
Salem$920/mo
Typical home $159K (Census) · tax rate 0.64% · or rent about $856/mo · Housing →

The difference: $620 a month, about $7,400 a year, between Morganton and Salem.

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.

Where they are

Morganton and Salem share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

MorgantonSalemMorgantonSalem
Morganton ↔ Salem2.8 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
280 Salem residents work in Morganton (31.3% of its workers)
Work & commute in Salem →
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
BMorgantonBetter than 57% of districts in the state BSalemBetter than 57% of districts in the state
Health
C−MorgantonHealthier than 20% of U.S. towns DSalemHealthier than 10% 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
MorgantonSalem
Snow a year5″5″
January low28°F28°F
July high88°F88°F
Growing season (days)202d202d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)44th36th
Outdoors & history
MorgantonSalem
Trails10 mi—
Conserved land5.4%—
Settled1777—
National Register places331
Archive photos—6
Famous people born here—6
Community
MorgantonSalem
Library hours a week57 hrs—
Colleges in town1—
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.

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.

MorgantonSalem
People
Population 17,646Highest 2,377Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +3.3%Lowest NC: +9.5% +6.2%Highest NC: +9.5%
Median age 37.8±3.7Lowest 3% below NC 41.3±5.3Highest 6% above NC
Salem and Morganton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 24.4%±3.1Highest NC: 21.8% 21.6%±5.2Lowest NC: 21.8%
Morganton and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 22%±2.6Lowest NC: 17.2% 28.6%±5.8Highest NC: 17.2%
Salem and Morganton 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% 22.8%Lowest NC: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.9%±1.9Lowest NC: 6.4% 8.9%±4.9Highest NC: 6.4%
Salem and Morganton 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 $68,988±$14kHighest 5% below NC
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $221,700±$21kHighest 23% below NC $159,100±$32kLowest 45% below NC
Rentmedian gross, monthly $944±$40Highest 23% below NC $856±$164Lowest 30% below NC
Morganton and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,689Highest 11% below NC $1,015Lowest 46% below NC
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 48%±11.7Highest NC: 48.9% 32.5%±17.2Lowest NC: 48.9%
Morganton and Salem 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% 19.1%Lowest NC: 13%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 54.7%Lowest NC: 66.6% 71.8%Highest NC: 66.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1976Lowest 15 yrs older than NC 1980Highest 11 yrs older than NC
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 18 minLowest 29% below NC 21 minHighest 18% below NC
Work from home 8.1%±2.6Highest NC: 16.3% 0%±1.5Lowest NC: 16.3%
Work in townworking residents 35.8%Highest 0.7%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 16.3 miLowest 17.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.83Highest 0.10Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Hickory (7%)Morganton (31%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Salem31% work in Morganton
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 5.4%Highest 0.3%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 9.6 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 14Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 38.2Highest 22.2Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #118 of 252 in NC—
School district The New Dimensions School · Burke County SchoolsBurke County Schools
High school in town Freedom HighNone in town
Students per teacherat that high school 22.7 —
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.

Salem neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Salem’s Town Square.

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Bordering Morganton

G
+ Compare
Glen Alpine1,991 people · $173K homes

Towns like Morganton

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Graham18,048 people · $234K homes
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Albemarle16,762 people · $205K homes
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Shelby22,100 people · $197K homes
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Statesville29,894 people · $248K 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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