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

B−SpindaleBetter than 51% of districts in the state C−WilliamstonBetter than 17% of districts in the state

Health

DSpindaleHealthier than 6% of U.S. towns DWilliamstonHealthier than 6% of U.S. towns

8Spindale

11Williamston

Lists won, of 19 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Lowest depressionHealth · 296 towns #258#28 Highest graduation rateSchools · 284 towns #133#284 Shortest commuteGetting around · 297 towns #180#48 Most walkableOutdoors · 297 towns #142#26 Most remote workersWork · 285 towns #172#221 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 297 towns #180#130 Most conserved landOutdoors · 276 towns #235#193 Most affordableCost of living · 297 towns #42#8

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

Spindale$880/mo

Typical home $148K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.87% · or rent about $755/mo · Housing →

Williamston$850/mo

Typical home $134K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.35% · or rent about $684/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

SpindaleWilliamston

Snow a year5″1″

January low—33°F

July high—89°F

Growing season (days)—239d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)14th 82nd

Outdoors & history

SpindaleWilliamston

Trails0 mi 0 mi

Conserved land0.9%1.9%

Settled1923 1779

National Register places—7

Archive photos11 —

Famous people born here2 —

Community

SpindaleWilliamston

Library hours a week47 hrs 49 hrs

Colleges in town1 1

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

275 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

SpindaleNC WilliamstonNC

Spindale ↔ Williamston275 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

SpindaleWilliamston

People

Population 4,131Lowest 5,112Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -2.2%Highest NC: +9.5% -4.8%Lowest NC: +9.5%

Median age 44.9±3.4Lowest 15% above NC 45.4±6.7Highest 16% above NC

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

Kids under 18 13.6%±4.9Lowest NC: 21.8% 20.1%±4.5Highest NC: 21.8%

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

Age 65+ 20.9%±5.2Lowest NC: 17.2% 22%±4.6Highest NC: 17.2%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.5%Highest NC: 35.7% 14.3%Lowest NC: 35.7%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.8%±2.1Highest NC: 6.4% 1.2%±1.3Lowest NC: 6.4%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $41,262±$6kHighest 43% below NC $38,738±$9kLowest 46% below NC

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $167,400±$44kHighest 42% below NC $107,100±$22kLowest 63% below NC

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $755±$33Highest 39% below NC $684±$47Lowest 44% below NC

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,455Highest 23% below NC $1,448Lowest 24% below NC

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 29.2%±15.4Lowest NC: 48.9% 50.9%±16.1Highest NC: 48.9%

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

Below poverty line 21.8%Lowest NC: 13% 36.3%Highest NC: 13%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 43.6%Lowest NC: 66.6% 50.5%Highest NC: 66.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1964Highest 27 yrs older than NC 1962Lowest 29 yrs older than NC

Getting to work

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

Work from home 9.2%±6.9Highest NC: 16.3% 6.7%±4.9Lowest NC: 16.3%

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

Work in townworking residents 5.9%Lowest 21.9%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 23.3 miHighest 22.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.18Lowest 1.61Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Forest City (11%)Greenville (10%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in WilliamstonFew work in Spindale

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.9%Lowest 1.9%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.1 miLowest 0.2 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Lowest 3Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 52.4Lowest 83.4Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #210 of 252 in NC #214 of 252 in NC

School district Rutherford County SchoolsMartin 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.

Spindale neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Spindale’s Town Square.

Williamston neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Williamston’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Spindale

+ Compare

Rutherfordton3,680 people · $288K homes

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Forest City7,363 people · $161K homes

Towns like Spindale

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Wilkesboro3,646 people · $224K homes

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Roxboro8,182 people · $158K homes

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Long View5,011 people · $157K homes

+ Compare

North Wilkesboro4,421 people · $213K 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.

Spindale vs Williamston

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Williamston places higher on 11 of 19 NC lists

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

275 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Spindale and Williamston

Bordering Spindale

Towns like Spindale

Post to Spindale

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