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

CRed OakBetter than 25% of districts in the state BBethlehemBetter than 64% of districts in the state

Health

A−Red OakHealthier than 81% of U.S. towns BBethlehemHealthier than 59% of U.S. towns

12Red Oak

4Bethlehem

Lists won, of 17 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Best schoolsSchools · 252 towns #218#91 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 297 towns #69#207 Lowest depressionHealth · 296 towns #28#139 Fastest growingGrowth · 291 towns #238#156 Fewest smokersHealth · 296 towns #71#154 Shortest commuteGetting around · 297 towns #105#184 HealthiestHealth · 296 towns #77#143 Lowest obesityHealth · 296 towns #62#123

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

Red Oak$1,950/mo

Typical home $338K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.62% · Housing →

Bethlehem$1,890/mo

Typical home $327K (Census) · tax rate 0.64% · or rent about $795/mo · Housing →

The difference: $60 a month, about $700 a year, between Red Oak and Bethlehem.

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

Red OakBethlehem

Snow a year1″0″

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)49th 55th

Outdoors & history

Red OakBethlehem

Trails2 mi 0 mi

Conserved land0.9%0%

National Register places2 —

Community

Red OakBethlehem

Library hours a week—28 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 1

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

191 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Red OakNC BethlehemNC

Red Oak ↔ Bethlehem191 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

Red OakBethlehem

People

Population 3,405Lowest 4,101Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -2.6%Lowest NC: +9.5% +6.6%Highest NC: +9.5%

Median age 49.5±6.6Lowest 27% above NC 52.7±4Highest 35% above NC

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

Kids under 18 18.8%±5.9Highest NC: 21.8% 13.3%±4.8Lowest NC: 21.8%

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

Age 65+ 30.7%±8.8Highest NC: 17.2% 27.9%±4.1Lowest NC: 17.2%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 37%Lowest NC: 35.7% 43.3%Highest NC: 35.7%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.6%±1.6Lowest NC: 6.4% 6.7%±4.4Highest NC: 6.4%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $90,214±$12kHighest 25% above NC $87,795±$15kLowest 21% above NC

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $271,800±$109kLowest 6% below NC $327,000±$41kHighest 13% above NC

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly — $795±$59 35% below NC

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,683Lowest 11% below NC $2,108Highest 11% above NC

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 29.1%±56.6Lowest NC: 48.9% 44.3%±23.5Highest NC: 48.9%

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

Below poverty line 2.2%Lowest NC: 13% 4.5%Highest NC: 13%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 96.1%Highest NC: 66.6% 89.5%Lowest NC: 66.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1990Lowest 1 yr older than NC 1992Highest 1 yr newer than NC

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 23 minLowest 10% below NC 26 minHighest about the NC average

Work from home 12.9%±8Highest NC: 16.3% 9.2%±6.4Lowest NC: 16.3%

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

Work in townworking residents 1.9%Lowest 3.7%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.3 miHighest 9.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.14Lowest 0.43Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Rocky Mount (34%)Hickory (29%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BethlehemFew work in Red Oak

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.9%Highest 0%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 1.7 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 6.4Lowest 28.5Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #218 of 252 in NC #91 of 252 in NC

School district Nash County Public SchoolsAlexander County Schools

High school in town None in townNone 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.

Red Oak neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Red Oak’s Town Square.

Bethlehem neighborsTown Square →

T Weaver · 1w

Outdoors in Bethlehem

1 neighbor in Bethlehem can answer.

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Bordering Red Oak

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Dortches1,158 people · $248K homes

Towns like Red Oak

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Wallburg3,150 people · $344K homes

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Eastover3,666 people · $242K homes

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River Bend2,874 people · $266K homes

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Stokesdale6,004 people · $379K 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.

Red Oak vs Bethlehem

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Red Oak places higher on 12 of 17 NC lists

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

191 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Outdoors in Bethlehem

Set another town beside Red Oak and Bethlehem

Bordering Red Oak

Towns like Red Oak

Post to Red Oak

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