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Compare towns

Troy vs Dobson

85 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (2.4× in Dobson) and average commute (7 min in Dobson).

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Troy, NCAn outdoors townNorth Carolina · 2,926 people
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Dobson, NCA regional job hubNorth Carolina · 1,652 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.

TroyAn outdoors town
Outdoors#25 most conserved land in NC0.7 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves Housing$196K typical home42% below the NC typical home SchoolsBetter than 39%of NC districts All about Troy →
DobsonA regional job hub
Work2,877 jobsbased in Dobson, a regional job hub College town1 collegeSurry Community College SchoolsBetter than 72%of NC districts All about Dobson →
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.

Jobs per worker2.4×
Dobson is more of a job hub
Dobson 5.01Troy 2.08
Average commute7 min
Dobson has the shorter commute
Troy 25 minDobson 18 min
Conserved land+13.1 pts
Troy has more conserved land
Troy 13.3%Dobson 0.2%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $400 more a month in Dobson

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.

Troy$1,150/mo
Typical home $196K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.77% · or rent about $675/mo · Housing →
Dobson$1,560/mo
Typical home $266K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.74% · or rent about $528/mo · Housing →

The difference: $400 a month, about $4,800 a year, between Dobson and Troy.

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.

Safety
CTroySafer than 28% of U.S. towns –DobsonNot graded
Schools
C+TroyBetter than 39% of districts in the state B+DobsonBetter than 72% of districts in the state
Health
B−TroyHealthier than 51% of U.S. towns C+DobsonHealthier than 42% of U.S. towns
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
TroyDobson
Snow a year3″8″
January low33°F25°F
July high90°F86°F
Growing season (days)235d186d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)42nd20th
Outdoors & history
TroyDobson
Trails1 mi0 mi
Conserved land13.3%0.2%
Settled18531853
National Register places31
Archive photos1212
Famous people born here18
Community
TroyDobson
Library hours a week46 hrs41 hrs
Colleges in town11
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

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

85 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

TroyNCDobsonNC
Troy ↔ Dobson85 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.

TroyDobson
People
Population 2,926Highest 1,652Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -10.6%Lowest NC: +9.5% -7.8%Highest NC: +9.5%
Median age 36.9±5.1Highest 6% below NC 35.8±2.3Lowest 8% below NC
Troy and Dobson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 15.9%±4.9Lowest NC: 21.8% 20.5%±7.4Highest NC: 21.8%
Dobson and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 18.9%±4.6Highest NC: 17.2% 18.6%±2.3Lowest NC: 17.2%
Troy and Dobson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 20.8%Lowest NC: 35.7% 24.3%Highest NC: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.8%±2.3Highest NC: 6.4% 3.5%±2.4Lowest NC: 6.4%
Troy and Dobson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $51,731±$20kHighest 29% below NC $43,750±$19kLowest 40% below NC
Troy and Dobson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $160,100±$29kLowest 45% below NC $173,900±$96kHighest 40% below NC
Dobson and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $675±$63Highest 45% below NC $528±$107Lowest 57% below NC
Troy and Dobson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,237Lowest 35% below NC $1,290Highest 32% below NC
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 26.1%±9.4Lowest NC: 48.9% 42.2%±16.6Highest NC: 48.9%
Dobson and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 20.2%Lowest NC: 13% 22.4%Highest NC: 13%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 48.4%Lowest NC: 66.6% 48.7%Highest NC: 66.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1972Lowest 19 yrs older than NC 1979Highest 12 yrs older than NC
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minHighest about the NC average 18 minLowest 28% below NC
Work from home 7.4%±5.7Highest NC: 16.3% 5.4%±7.3Lowest NC: 16.3%
Troy and Dobson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 18.1%Highest 17.4%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 23.3 miHighest 11.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.08Lowest 5.01Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Charlotte (7%)Mount Airy (16%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in DobsonFew work in Troy
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 13.3%Highest 0.2%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.7 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 1Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 49.7Highest 47.3Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #227 of 252 in NC—
School district Montgomery County SchoolsSurry County Schools
High school in town Montgomery Learning AcademySurry Central High
Students per teacherat that high school 7.7Lowest 16.7Highest
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.

Troy neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Homes in Troy

1 neighbor in Troy can answer.

Dobson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Dobson’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Troy

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Ahoskie4,764 people · $143K homes
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Fairmont2,463 people · $107K homes
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Bladenboro2,249 people · $100K homes
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Whiteville4,696 people · $188K 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.

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