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

BRanloSafer than 61% of U.S. towns B−RaefordSafer than 51% of U.S. towns

Schools

B−RanloBetter than 49% of districts in the state C+RaefordBetter than 41% of districts in the state

Health

B−RanloHealthier than 54% of U.S. towns D−RaefordHealthier than 4% of U.S. towns

10Ranlo

8Raeford

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

Cheapest rentCost of living · 284 towns #265#58 Fastest growingGrowth · 291 towns #48#227 HealthiestHealth · 296 towns #150#287 Most activeHealth · 296 towns #151#284 Highest incomeIncome · 297 towns #120#252 Fewest smokersHealth · 296 towns #154#273 Best schoolsSchools · 252 towns #252#153 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 296 towns #150#260

Left end = #1 in North Carolina. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Ranlo’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%

Ranlo$1,580/mo

Typical home $263K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.93% · or rent about $1,811/mo · Housing →

Raeford$1,650/mo

Typical home $285K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.66% · or rent about $833/mo · Housing →

The difference: $70 a month, about $900 a year, between Raeford and Ranlo.

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

RanloRaeford

Snow a year1″3″

January low31°F 30°F

July high91°F 90°F

Growing season (days)228d 214d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)13th 26th

Outdoors & history

RanloRaeford

Trails0 mi 1 mi

Conserved land0.7%3%

Settled1963 —

National Register places—2

Archive photos—12

Famous people born here1 15

Community

RanloRaeford

Library hours a week—62 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

109 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

RanloNC RaefordNC

Ranlo ↔ Raeford109 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

RanloRaeford

People

Population 4,617Highest 4,552Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +31.4%Highest NC: +9.5% -1.1%Lowest NC: +9.5%

Median age 35±2.3Lowest 10% below NC 37±4.9Highest 5% below NC

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

Kids under 18 26.3%±5.7Highest NC: 21.8% 24.7%±5Lowest NC: 21.8%

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

Age 65+ 16.5%±4.4Lowest NC: 17.2% 21.3%±3.6Highest NC: 17.2%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 20.1%Lowest NC: 35.7% 23.6%Highest NC: 35.7%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.8%±2.1Lowest NC: 6.4% 4.5%±1.8Highest NC: 6.4%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $78,033±$16kHighest 8% above NC $46,494±$7kLowest 36% below NC

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $200,200±$39kLowest 31% below NC $201,800±$20kHighest 30% below NC

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,811±$422Highest 47% above NC $833±$101Lowest 32% below NC

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,865Highest about the NC average $1,333Lowest 30% below NC

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 54.4%±22.8Highest NC: 48.9% 52.3%±8.9Lowest NC: 48.9%

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

Below poverty line 5.5%Lowest NC: 13% 20.7%Highest NC: 13%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 61.6%Highest NC: 66.6% 57.1%Lowest NC: 66.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1999Highest 8 yrs newer than NC 1975Lowest 16 yrs older than NC

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 21 minHighest 16% below NC 20 minLowest 20% below NC

Work from home 11.3%±4.9Highest NC: 16.3% 7.7%±4.9Lowest NC: 16.3%

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

Work in townworking residents 1.8%Lowest 20.2%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.8 miLowest 19.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.36Lowest 2.71Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Charlotte (33%)Fayetteville (14%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in RaefordFew work in Ranlo

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.7%Lowest 3%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.3 miLowest 0.8 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.2 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 4Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 51.6Lowest 58.1Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #252 of 252 in NC #153 of 252 in NC

School district Gaston County SchoolsHoke County Schools

High school in town Warlick AcademyHoke County High

Students per teacherat that high school 10.9Lowest 18.7Highest

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.

Ranlo neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ranlo’s Town Square.

Raeford neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Raeford’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Ranlo and Raeford

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

Bordering Ranlo

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Springdale1,075 people · $202K homes

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Lowell3,768 people · $201K homes

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Gastonia82,884 people · $278K homes

Towns like Ranlo

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Lillington4,709 people · $247K homes

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Bessemer City5,580 people · $206K homes

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Randleman4,644 people · $185K homes

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Canton4,419 people · $247K 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.

Ranlo vs Raeford

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Ranlo places higher on 10 of 20 NC lists

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

109 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Ranlo and Raeford

Bordering Ranlo

Towns like Ranlo

Post to Ranlo

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