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Compare towns

Spencer vs Erwin

102 miles apart. The biggest differences: work from home (+14.7 pts in Spencer) and home values (+25% in Spencer).

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Spencer, NCOne of the healthiest townsNorth Carolina · 3,349 people
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Erwin, NCHomes around $203KNorth Carolina · 4,687 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.

SpencerOne of the healthiest towns
Health78% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$205K typical home39% below the NC typical home Outdoors#77 most conserved land in NC0.0 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about Spencer →
ErwinHomes around $203K
Housing$203K typical home39% below the NC typical home Outdoors#116 most walkable in NC0.0 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves SafetySafer than 17%of U.S. towns we grade All about Erwin →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

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

Work from home+14.7 pts
More people work from home in Spencer
Spencer 18.7%Erwin 4%
Home values+25%
Homes cost more in Spencer
Spencer $201,700Erwin $161,100
Typical home built16 yrs
Spencer’s homes are older
Erwin 1966Spencer 1950
Bachelor’s degree++8.3 pts
More adults in Spencer have a degree
Spencer 25.6%Erwin 17.3%
★ What stands out · 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.

Spencer$1,230/mo
Typical home $205K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.91% · or rent about $1,000/mo · Housing →
Erwin$1,230/mo
Typical home $203K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.99% · or rent about $1,112/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.

Report cards

Spencer places higher on 8 of 18 NC lists

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
–SpencerNot graded C−ErwinSafer than 17% of U.S. towns
Schools
CSpencerBetter than 34% of districts in the state C+ErwinBetter than 37% of districts in the state
Health
C−SpencerHealthier than 22% of U.S. towns CErwinHealthier than 26% of U.S. towns
8Spencer
7Erwin

Lists won, of 18 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 297 towns #28#220 Lowest depressionHealth · 296 towns #63#214 Highest graduation rateSchools · 284 towns #93#173 Best schoolsSchools · 252 towns #245#179 Most educatedPeople · 297 towns #175#251 Highest incomeIncome · 297 towns #160#233 Most conserved landOutdoors · 276 towns #77#139 Lowest obesityHealth · 296 towns #230#167

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

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
SpencerErwin
Snow a year2″2″
January low29°F32°F
July high88°F92°F
Growing season (days)208d226d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)27th50th
Outdoors & history
SpencerErwin
Trails0 mi0 mi
Conserved land6.5%3.3%
Settled1905—
National Register places41
Archive photos156
Famous people born here54
Community
SpencerErwin
Library hours a week—41 hrs
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.

Where they are

102 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

SpencerNCErwinNC
Spencer ↔ Erwin102 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.

SpencerErwin
People
Population 3,349Lowest 4,687Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.3%Lowest NC: +9.5% +3.1%Highest NC: +9.5%
Median age 44.2±5.9Lowest 13% above NC 47.1±5.2Highest 20% above NC
Erwin and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 19%±5.7Highest NC: 21.8% 18.3%±5.7Lowest NC: 21.8%
Spencer and Erwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 23.4%±6.5Highest NC: 17.2% 21.7%±3.4Lowest NC: 17.2%
Spencer and Erwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 25.6%Highest NC: 35.7% 17.3%Lowest NC: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 8.8%±5Highest NC: 6.4% 3.8%±1.6Lowest NC: 6.4%
Spencer and Erwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $65,465±$17kHighest 10% below NC $50,701±$7kLowest 30% below NC
Spencer and Erwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $201,700±$26kHighest 30% below NC $161,100±$7kLowest 44% below NC
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,000±$200Lowest 19% below NC $1,112±$163Highest 9% below NC
Erwin and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,827Highest 4% below NC $1,589Lowest 16% below NC
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 51.3%±17.5Lowest NC: 48.9% 53.9%±21.5Highest NC: 48.9%
Erwin and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 11.2%Lowest NC: 13% 12.2%Highest NC: 13%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 72.7%Highest NC: 66.6% 71.4%Lowest NC: 66.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1950Lowest 41 yrs older than NC 1966Highest 25 yrs older than NC
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 32 minLowest 27% above NC 32 minHighest 29% above NC
Work from home 18.7%±10.7Highest NC: 16.3% 4%±2.6Lowest NC: 16.3%
Work in townworking residents 3%Lowest 4.6%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.8 miLowest 25.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.78Lowest 0.87Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Salisbury (24%)Raleigh (11%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ErwinFew work in Spencer
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 6.5%Highest 3.3%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 2Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 52.1Lowest 56.5Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #245 of 252 in NC#179 of 252 in NC
School district Rowan-Salisbury SchoolsHarnett County Schools
High school in town North Rowan HighTriton High
Students per teacherat that high school 20.0Lowest 22.0Highest
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.

Spencer neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Spencer’s Town Square.

Erwin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Erwin’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Spencer and Erwin

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

Bordering Spencer

+ Compare
Salisbury35,825 people · $243K homes
E
+ Compare
East Spencer1,434 people · $112K homes

Towns like Spencer

L
+ Compare
Lowell3,768 people · $201K homes
+ Compare
Drexel2,146 people · $214K homes
H
+ Compare
Hudson3,772 people · $223K homes
B
+ Compare
Burgaw3,850 people · $242K 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.

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