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Ruth vs Catawba

54 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (3.4× in Ruth) and rent (+66% in Catawba).

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Ruth, NCA regional job hubNorth Carolina · 510 people

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Catawba, NCAn outdoors townNorth Carolina · 628 people

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.

RuthA regional job hub

Work371 jobsbased in Ruth, a regional job hub Housing$183K typical home45% below the NC typical home All about Ruth →

CatawbaAn outdoors town

Outdoors15.3% conserved land0.5 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves SchoolsBetter than 65%of NC districts All about Catawba →

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.

Street grid3.4×

Ruth has the more walkable street grid

Ruth 52.2Catawba 15.2

Rent runs higher in Catawba

Catawba $1,118Ruth $675

Jobs per worker3.3×

Ruth is more of a job hub

Ruth 2.65Catawba 0.81

Typical home built28 yrs

Catawba’s homes are older

Ruth 1985Catawba 1957

Conserved land+11.3 pts

Catawba has more conserved land

Catawba 15.3%Ruth 4%

Average commute5 min

Ruth has the shorter commute

Catawba 30 minRuth 25 min

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $780 more a month in Catawba

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%

Ruth$1,090/mo

Typical home $183K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.85% · or rent about $675/mo · Housing →

Catawba$1,870/mo

Typical home $321K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.71% · or rent about $1,118/mo · Housing →

The difference: $780 a month, about $9,400 a year, between Catawba and Ruth.

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.

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

–RuthNot graded B+CatawbaBetter than 65% of districts in the state

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

RuthCatawba

Snow a year5″5″

January low—26°F

July high—87°F

Growing season (days)—191d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)22nd 15th

Outdoors & history

RuthCatawba

Conserved land—15.3%

National Register places—2

Archive photos3 —

Famous people born here—7

Community

RuthCatawba

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

54 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

RuthNC CatawbaNC

Ruth ↔ Catawba54 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

RuthCatawba

People

Population 510Lowest 628Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — +16.4% NC: +9.5%

Median age 35±14.1Lowest 10% below NC 35.8±11.1Highest 8% below NC

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

Kids under 18 22.4%±7.8Highest NC: 21.8% 19.3%±6.2Lowest NC: 21.8%

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

Age 65+ 14.5%±5.7Highest NC: 17.2% 6.5%±4.9Lowest NC: 17.2%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14.3%Highest NC: 35.7% 11.1%Lowest NC: 35.7%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.5%±4.8Highest NC: 6.4% 1.9%±2.8Lowest NC: 6.4%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $51,250±$20kHighest 29% below NC $47,250±$40kLowest 35% below NC

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $138,300±$44kLowest 52% below NC $163,000±$46kHighest 44% below NC

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $675±$349Lowest 45% below NC $1,118±$24Highest 9% below NC

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,174Highest 38% below NC $1,158Lowest 39% below NC

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 64.6%±34.2Highest NC: 48.9% 45%±100Lowest NC: 48.9%

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

Below poverty line 35.7%Highest NC: 13% 21.4%Lowest NC: 13%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 75.3%Highest NC: 66.6% 71.3%Lowest NC: 66.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1985Highest 6 yrs older than NC 1957Lowest 34 yrs older than NC

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 25 minLowest about the NC average 30 minHighest 20% above NC

Work from home 1%±2.5Lowest NC: 16.3% 5.4%±5.9Highest NC: 16.3%

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

Work in townworking residents 2.9%Highest 1%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 13.3 miLowest 14.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.65Highest 0.81Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Forest City (16%)Hickory (11%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in CatawbaFew work in Ruth

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 4%Lowest 15.3%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.5 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 52.2Highest 15.2Lowest

Schools

School district —Catawba County Schools

High school in town —None 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.

Ruth neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ruth’s Town Square.

Catawba neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Catawba’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Ruth and Catawba

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

Bordering Ruth

Rutherfordton3,680 people · $288K homes

Towns like Ruth

Staley456 people · $133K homes

Ronda436 people · $110K homes

Peachland443 people · $135K homes

Lawndale739 people · $117K 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.