How Rockwell compares across North Carolina
Rockwell is ranked on 31 lists against the 297 North Carolina towns with 2,500+ residents.
More year-round than 96% of North Carolina
Not better or worse, just Rockwell’s character, from the lists where neither end is the “good” one. The most distinctive come first.
Rockwell lands in the top half on 11 of 18 lists
Each dot is Rockwell’s spot on one list: the left end is #1 in NC, the right end is last. Areas where Rockwell does best come first.
The lists Rockwell does best on
Each list ranks every NC town with 2,500+ residents. Tap one to see the whole list with Rockwell marked.
Where Rockwell lands in every NC ranking
38 lists from Census, school, health, library, crime, climate and land data. Tap any list to see every town on it.
Cost of living
Most affordable#1 La Grange · 1.2 yrs
#123
Cheapest rent#1 Edenton · $388/mo
#95
E
Lowest property tax#1 Emma · $518/yr
#112
Rent easiest to afford#1 Morrisville · 24.8%
Health
Healthiest#1 Morrisville · 100 / 100
#182
Lowest obesity#1 Morrisville · 22%
#145
Fewest smokers#1 Morrisville · 7%
#216
Most active#1 Wrightsville Beach · 13%
#166
S
Fewest uninsured#1 St. James · 4%
#125
Lowest depression#1 Morrisville · 19%
#258
Closest to a top hospital#1 Winston-Salem · 0.0 mi
#104 
People
B Most educated#1 Briar Chapel · 81.6% #153
Youngest#1 Cullowhee · 21.0
#98
Oldest#1 Sunset Beach · 69.1
#204
S
Most residents 65+#1 St. James · 62.8%
#230
Most kids#1 Whispering Pines · 34.6%
#55 Outdoors
Most conserved land#1 Spring Lake · 81.9%
#213
Most trails#1 Carrboro · 4.5 mi / sq mi
Most walkable#1 Carolina Beach · 134 / sq mi
#90 Getting around
Shortest commute#1 Jamestown · 13.4 min
#185 Climate
Snowiest#1 Boone · 26 in
#133
Least snow#1 Laurinburg · 1.1 in
#83
Mildest winters#1 Southport · 36.8°
#168
Hottest summers#1 Laurinburg · 91.4°
#149
Coolest summers#1 Boone · 78.9°
#146
Longest growing season#1 Kill Devil Hills · 266 days
#217
Wettest#1 Brevard · 69 in
#240 
The number on the right is Rockwell’s spot. All of North Carolina’s rankings, with the map → · National lists and other states: all rankings.
Do the numbers ring true?
The lists count what can be counted. Neighbors know the rest.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
- 2,500+ residents. Census estimates for smaller towns carry margins of error too wide to rank fairly, so they sit out every NC list.
- One town, one row. A city that is both a city and a town in Census data, or a village inside a town, is counted once.
- Ties share a rank. Towns on one weather station, one school district or one CDC estimate share a figure, so they share a spot (T).
- No “worst” lists. Lists rank toward the good end, and share cards are made only for the top half. Age, snow and the like are character, not grades.
U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, 2010 and 2020 censuses, Building Permits Survey), U.S. Department of Education, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, CDC PLACES, Medicare Care Compare, IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FHFA House Price Index, NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. Each list explains its own method.