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

C−NewtonSafer than 19% of U.S. towns C+ButnerSafer than 38% of U.S. towns

Schools

B+NewtonBetter than 65% of districts in the state CButnerBetter than 27% of districts in the state

Health

B−NewtonHealthier than 45% of U.S. towns C−ButnerHealthier than 22% of U.S. towns

11Newton

9Butner

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most trailsOutdoors · 177 towns #89#175 Most remote workersWork · 285 towns #235#124 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 297 towns #230#116 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 296 towns #172#278 Most conserved landOutdoors · 276 towns #96#7 Most walkableOutdoors · 297 towns #183#264 Fastest growingGrowth · 291 towns #203#128 Lowest depressionHealth · 296 towns #139#63

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

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.

Down paymentRate%

Newton$1,530/mo

Typical home $259K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.79% · or rent about $1,091/mo · Housing →

Butner$1,570/mo

Typical home $268K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.75% · or rent about $1,307/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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

NewtonButner

Snow a year6″2″

January low30°F —

July high89°F —

Growing season (days)201d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)12th 35th

Outdoors & history

NewtonButner

Trails6 mi 1 mi

Conserved land5.4%41.1%

Settled1845 —

National Register places11 —

Archive photos12 4

Famous people born here17 —

Community

NewtonButner

Library hours a week60 hrs 52 hrs

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

143 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

NewtonNC ButnerNC

Newton ↔ Butner143 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

NewtonButner

People

Population 13,333Highest 8,065Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.4%Lowest NC: +9.5% +10.6%Highest NC: +9.5%

Median age 38.2±2.9Lowest about the NC average 40.3±3.5Highest 3% above NC

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

Kids under 18 21%±3.8Lowest NC: 21.8% 21.9%±3.9Highest NC: 21.8%

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

Age 65+ 20.5%±3.6Highest NC: 17.2% 16.8%±3.5Lowest NC: 17.2%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 21%Lowest NC: 35.7% 27%Highest NC: 35.7%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.8%±1Lowest NC: 6.4% 4.4%±1.9Highest NC: 6.4%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $62,015±$6kLowest 14% below NC $74,739±$6kHighest 3% above NC

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $186,300±$33kLowest 36% below NC $231,100±$15kHighest 20% below NC

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,091±$128Lowest 11% below NC $1,307±$129Highest 6% above NC

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,473Lowest 22% below NC $1,726Highest 9% below NC

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 45.3%±12.8Highest NC: 48.9% 41.1%±14.7Lowest NC: 48.9%

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

Below poverty line 12%Lowest NC: 13% 15%Highest NC: 13%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 72.6%Lowest NC: 66.6% 73.8%Highest NC: 66.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1977Lowest 14 yrs older than NC 1991Highest same as NC

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 22 minLowest 14% below NC 24 minHighest 4% below NC

Work from home 5.6%±2.7Lowest NC: 16.3% 12.2%±4Highest NC: 16.3%

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

Work in townworking residents 12.4%Highest 5.6%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 8.8 miLowest 18.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.69Highest 1.45Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Hickory (20%)Durham (24%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ButnerFew work in Newton

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 5.4%Lowest 41.1%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 5.6 miHighest 1.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.4 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 8Highest 1Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 45.5Highest 23.3Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #84 of 252 in NC #112 of 252 in NC

School district Catawba County Schools · Newton Conover City SchoolsGranville County Schools

High school in town Newton-Conover HighGranville Early College High

Students per teacherat that high school 16.5Lowest 31.4Highest

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.

Newton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Newton’s Town Square.

Butner neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Butner’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Newton and Butner

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

Bordering Newton

+ Compare

Conover8,580 people · $271K homes

+ Compare

Hickory44,258 people · $278K homes

Towns like Newton

+ Compare

Hope Mills17,939 people · $191K homes

+ Compare

Kings Mountain12,039 people · $204K homes

+ Compare

Cherryville6,226 people · $232K homes

+ Compare

King7,408 people · $238K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks North Carolina towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.

Newton vs Butner

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Newton places higher on 11 of 20 NC lists

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

143 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Newton and Butner

Bordering Newton

Towns like Newton

Post to Newton

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