2026 editionSouthPop. 11,197,968Capital Raleigh12th state, admitted 1789Cook PVI Even
Is North Carolina a Good Place to Live? North Carolina Rankings, Cost of Living, Crime & Taxes
North Carolina ranks #23 of 50 with a composite score of 59.1 and a B grade, strongest in growth (#3) and weakest in outdoor access (#37). The median household earns $73,958 (9% below the national median), homes typically cost $334,773 (9% below the national average), and violent crime is 330 per 100,000 (1% above the national average).
Apex and Cary, west of Raleigh, are why North Carolina takes in more households than almost any state, a net of +39,118 in the IRS count, #3 nationally. Those newcomers then meet a price-to-income ratio of 4.5x, above the national 4.6x, because wages outside the Triangle and Charlotte have not kept pace.
North Carolina by the numbers
Six measures every state is judged on, each with North Carolina's rank of 50 and the national figure beside it.
Sources, latest releases: Census Bureau ACS (income), Zillow Research (home value), BEA Regional Price Parities (cost index), FBI state crime estimates (crime), BLS LAUS (unemployment), WalletHub tax burden study (taxes). Rank 1 is the best value in each measure: highest income, lowest cost, lowest crime.
Read the North Carolina overview
North Carolina scores above the national average in 5 of 11 categories and ranks #3 of 14 states in the South, behind 2 regional neighbors. Its biggest edge over the country is typical home value ($334,773, 9% below the national average); its biggest shortfall is median household income ($73,958, 9% below the national median). With 2 top-10 finishes and no bottom-10 category, its weaknesses are relative, not absolute.
Where does North Carolina rank in each category?
All 11 categories that make up the composite, heaviest weight first. North Carolina is top 10 in 2 and bottom 10 in 0.
| Category | Score | Rank | Grade | Weight | US avg | The numbers behind it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | 43.2 | #29 of 50 | C+ | 15% | 47.1 | Its unemployment rate is 3.8% and median household income is $73,958. |
| Safety | 63.1 | #33 of 50 | C+ | 12% | 68.9 | The FBI estimates 330.3 violent crimes and 1,779.9 property crimes per 100,000 residents. |
| Health | 46.6 | #32 of 50 | C+ | 12% | 54.4 | Life expectancy is 75.9 years, 34.5% of adults have obesity, and 8.6% of residents are uninsured. |
| Education | 60.6 | #26 of 50 | B | 12% | 57.5 | Eighth graders average 276 in NAEP math and 255 in reading, and the high school graduation rate is 86.4%. |
| Affordability | 73.8 | #21 of 50 | B | 10% | 65.2 | Typical home value $334,773 (4.5x median income); cost of living index 94.3 (100 = US); center-based infant care $13,916 a year. |
| Fiscal Health | 71.5 | #6 of 50 | A | 8% | 58.1 | It carries $1,540 of debt per resident, has 95% of pensions funded, and holds a AAA credit rating. |
| Growth | 65.6 | #3 of 50 | A+ | 7% | 38.8 | Population grew 1.32% last year; Census net domestic migration is +7.6 per 1,000 residents (the Moving section below uses IRS household counts, a different series). |
| Transportation | 48.2 | #28 of 50 | C+ | 7% | 49.8 | The average commute is 25.7 minutes, 0.8% of workers use public transit, and 15.4% work from home. |
| Livability | 34.5 | #21 of 50 | B | 7% | 34.3 | It has 1.734 restaurants and 0.017 arts venues per 1,000 residents, plus 0.088 bars and 0.048 social associations per 1,000. |
| Outdoor Access | 13.5 | #37 of 50 | C | 6% | 29.4 | 9.3% of its land is public, with 1.95 recreation facilities per 10,000 residents. |
| Environment | 34.6 | #35 of 50 | C | 4% | 42.5 | Its median air quality index is 41, 13% of its electricity is renewable, and its FEMA disaster risk score is 24. |
Weight, US average and the evidence sentence for each category are shown on wider screens.
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. US avg is the mean score of the 50 states. Click a category for its 50-state ranking.
Category shape
North Carolina's 11 category scores. A balanced state fills the wheel evenly; North Carolina bulges toward growth and dips at outdoor access.
How expensive is North Carolina?
North Carolina's cost of living index is 94.3 against a national baseline of 100, 6% below the national average and #21 of 50 (1 = cheapest). The typical home is worth $334,773 (9% below the national average); buying it takes an income of about $87,803, $13,845 more than the median household earns. Inside the state the spread is wide: among tracked cities, Rocky Mount is cheapest (index 88) and Wake Forest priciest (98.2).
Housing market snapshot · August
Cold marketRanked #27 of 50 most expensive by typical value and #26 on price relative to income (1 = most affordable). The median household is $13,845 short of the income needed to buy the typical home.
Full North Carolina housing market: 26-year chart, rent vs. buy, cities →What a household keeps at $75,000
| Household | North Carolina | Median state | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family of fourTwo adults, two kids, one in daycare | −$8,560 | −$11,758 | #22 of 50 |
| Single adultOne-bedroom rent, no childcare | +$32,784 | +$31,418 | #24 of 50 |
| Retiree coupleOwn the home, no payroll tax | +$37,308 | +$35,970 | #22 of 50 |
Take-home pay minus housing, childcare, utilities, groceries and transport for a $75,000 household, from the affordability engine. Positive = money left over; negative = costs exceed take-home. Rank 1 = most left over.
What are taxes like in North Carolina?
North Carolina's tax mix is middle of the pack on income, property and sales taxes. The total state and local tax burden comes to 8.18% of income, 0.6 points below the national average (#16 of 50, 1 = lightest). Property tax is 0.73% of home value (#16), and combined sales tax averages 7% (#27).
Tax Foundation (rates) and WalletHub tax burden study (burden as a share of income), latest releases. Rank 1 = lowest. Income tax is the top marginal rate including typical local taxes where they apply.
Can the state pay its bills?
Fiscal health scores 71.5 out of 100, #6 of 50. Pew Fiscal 50, Census state finances and the rating agencies, latest releases.
Is North Carolina safe?
North Carolina reports 330 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 1% above the national average and #30 of 50 (1 = safest). Property crime runs 1,780 per 100,000, 16% above the national average (#38 of 50). The safety score is 63.1 out of 100, #33 of 50; among tracked cities, Apex has the lowest violent crime rate.
North Carolina vs. the United States, per 100,000 residents
FBI state crime estimates, latest release. US is the mean of the 50 states; blue = below it, terracotta = above it. Florida and North Dakota use the FBI's prior-year estimate because their latest year is based on limited data.
Safest tracked cities in North Carolina
| City | Population | Violent / 100K | Property / 100K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apex | 70,630 | 53 | 801 |
| Cary | 179,306 | 75 | 966 |
| Wake Forest | 52,844 | 85 | 1,021 |
| Chapel Hill | 61,607 | 86 | 1,779 |
| Huntersville | 63,969 | 115 | 1,097 |
Lowest violent crime among the 22 North Carolina cities we track with 50,000 or more residents. City rates come from each city's police agency and are not strictly comparable across agencies.
What is the job market like in North Carolina?
North Carolina's unemployment rate is 3.8%, 0.2 points below the national average and #20 of 50 (1 = lowest), and the median household earns $73,958, 9% below the national median. Real GDP grew +2.8% in the latest year (#9 of 50) and GDP per capita is $59,614, 7% below the national average. The population is growing 1.32% a year, 0.8 points above the national average. The economy score is 43.2 out of 100, #29 of 50.
Census Bureau ACS (income), BLS LAUS (unemployment), BEA (GDP), Census population estimates (growth), latest releases.
Highest-paying tracked occupations in North Carolina, adjusted for cost of living
| Occupation | Cost-adjusted | Median wage | Metro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physicians | $253,141 | $237,953 | Raleigh-Cary |
| Lawyers | $162,154 | $152,425 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia |
| Software Developers | $143,951 | $135,314 | Raleigh-Cary |
| Computer Systems Analysts | $112,863 | $106,091 | Raleigh-Cary |
| General & Operations Managers | $112,060 | $105,336 | Raleigh-Cary |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, latest release, for the 20 occupations we track. Cost-adjusted wage divides the metro median by its cost of living index.
How are North Carolina's schools and healthcare?
North Carolina's education score is 60.6 out of 100, #26 of 50. Eighth graders average 276 in NAEP math (#20 of 50) and 255 in reading (#35 of 50), and the high school graduation rate is 86.4%, 0.8 points above the national average (#25 of 50).
Best public school cities we track, by graduation rate
| City | Grad rate | Students / teacher | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chapel Hill | 93% | 13.4 | $16,963 |
| Wake Forest | 91.1% | 16.8 | $10,753 |
| Raleigh | 91% | 14.4 | $11,648 |
NCES Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey, latest release. Cities with at least three schools.
North Carolina is #32 of 50 for health, with a life expectancy of 75.9 years, 1.0 years below the national average. 34.5% of adults have obesity (#27 of 50) and 8.6% of residents have no health insurance (#35 of 50). The health score is 46.6 out of 100, weighted 12% of the composite.
CDC National Center for Health Statistics (state life tables), CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (obesity), and Census Bureau American Community Survey (health insurance), latest releases.
Who is moving to North Carolina, and who is leaving?
North Carolina gained a net 39,118 households from other states in the latest IRS release: 170,751 moved in and 131,633 moved out, +3.5 per 1,000 residents (#3 of 50). Arriving households report an average income of $80,162 against $74,288 for those leaving. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey, which counts people rather than households, shows a net +58.6K people (299.8K in, 241.2K out, ±21.5K), consistent with the IRS direction.
Where they come from
- 1Florida20,553 · $77,338
- 2South Carolina15,305 · $65,426
- 3Virginia15,148 · $79,449
- 4New York13,811 · $76,363
- 5California9,978 · $97,377
Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households arrived from these states in the latest IRS release.
Where they go
- 1South Carolina18,026 · $84,221
- 2Florida14,530 · $96,279
- 3Virginia12,599 · $68,808
- 4Georgia8,487 · $69,546
- 5Texas8,387 · $71,235
Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households left for these states in the latest IRS release.
Where should you live in North Carolina?
By composite score, the best of the 22 North Carolina cities we track are Apex (74.9), Cary (71.2), and Wake Forest (69.2). Rocky Mount is the cheapest (cost index 88), Apex the richest ($144,135), and Apex the fastest growing (+6.1% a year). City ranks are among the 22 North Carolina cities we cover, not every city in the state.
Standout cities in North Carolina
| Best for | City | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Safest | Apex | 53 violent crimes per 100K |
| Cheapest | Rocky Mount | cost of living index 88 |
| Most walkable | Asheville | walkability 14.3 of 20 |
| Cleanest air | Greenville | median AQI 37 (county) |
| Best schools | Chapel Hill | 93% graduation rate |
| Richest | Apex | $144,135 |
Among the 22 North Carolina cities we track. Safest uses a full year of FBI reports from the city's own police agency; air quality is measured by county, so cities in the same county share a reading.
Regions of North Carolina
Universities, pharma, tech and state government; the fastest growth and the highest prices in the state, with the best schools and the lowest crime in the western Wake suburbs.
Banking, an airport hub and sprawl in every direction; Huntersville and Concord are the suburbs, Gastonia the cheaper edge, and South Carolina begins twenty minutes south of uptown.
Manufacturing towns with universities, the lowest home prices of the three big metros, and higher crime rates than the Triangle.
Wilmington and the beaches on one side, Fort Bragg, Camp Lejeune and farm country on the other; cheap outside the beach towns, hot, hurricane-exposed, and far from the growth.
Asheville and the Blue Ridge draw retirees and tourists with cool summers and expensive houses; the surrounding counties are poorer, and Helene showed how exposed the valleys are.
All 22 tracked cities, best to worst
| # | City | Grade | Score | Population | Income | Violent / 100K | Cost index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apex | A+ | 74.9 | 70,630 | $144,135 | 53 | 98.2 |
| 2 | Cary | A+ | 71.2 | 179,306 | $134,905 | 75 | 98.2 |
| 3 | Wake Forest | A+ | 69.2 | 52,844 | $123,802 | 85 | 98.2 |
| 4 | Huntersville | A+ | 68.0 | 63,969 | $120,516 | 115 | 97.3 |
| 5 | Chapel Hill | A | 65.1 | 61,607 | $85,989 | 86 | 97.6 |
| 6 | Raleigh | B+ | 61.2 | 481,031 | $85,395 | 395 | 98.2 |
| 7 | Concord | B+ | 60.8 | 108,719 | $86,921 | 117 | 97.3 |
| 8 | Mooresville | B+ | 60.5 | 52,381 | $89,647 | 247 | 97.3 |
| 9 | Kannapolis | B | 57.9 | 57,890 | $73,836 | 170 | 97.3 |
| 10 | Durham | B | 57.4 | 291,467 | $81,619 | 507 | 97.6 |
| 11 | Charlotte | B | 56.3 | 903,844 | $82,068 | 559 | 97.3 |
| 12 | Wilmington | B | 55.7 | 120,805 | $66,738 | 406 | 96.4 |
| 13 | Jacksonville | C+ | 53.4 | 71,279 | $57,697 | 228 | 92.1 |
| 14 | High Point | C+ | 53.3 | 116,245 | $64,561 | 521 | 92.9 |
| 15 | Asheville | C | 51.7 | 94,535 | $71,102 | 753 | 96.5 |
| 16 | Greensboro | C | 49.7 | 301,198 | $61,515 | 702 | 92.9 |
| 17 | Greenville | C | 49.6 | 92,857 | $49,748 | 449 | 88.4 |
| 18 | Burlington | D | 48.1 | 59,610 | $56,880 | 640 | 93.2 |
| 19 | Winston-Salem | D | 47.8 | 252,037 | $59,268 | 744 | 92 |
| 20 | Gastonia | D | 47.3 | 82,884 | $64,059 | 889 | 97.3 |
| 21 | Fayetteville | D | 46.8 | 210,815 | $58,407 | 614 | 92 |
| 22 | Rocky Mount | D | 44.4 | 54,297 | $55,534 | 672 | 88 |
Swipe the table sideways for more columns. Rank is among the 22 North Carolina cities we track: every city of 50,000 or more, plus the state's other largest places. City scores use city-level Census, FBI, BLS, CDC, EPA and NCES data, and a category with no city data is left out of the score rather than filled with the state's figure.
Best cities in North Carolina for…
| # | City | Score | Education | Safety | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apex | 71.0 | 54.2 | 97.6 | 51.4 |
| 2 | Cary | 69.8 | 54.9 | 95.1 | 53.2 |
| 3 | Wake Forest | 68.5 | 53.2 | 94.0 | 59.4 |
| 4 | Chapel Hill | 67.4 | 72.9 | 88.4 | 53.6 |
| 5 | Huntersville | 66.1 | 49.0 | 91.5 | 57.1 |
Who is North Carolina best for?
The same 11 category scores, re-weighted for six kinds of household. Rank is among the 50 states; click through for the best North Carolina cities for each.
Weights differ by household: families lean on education, safety and housing; retirees on fiscal health, healthcare and cost. See the weights →
How does North Carolina compare with its neighbors?
North Carolina ranks #23. Among its bordering states, Virginia ranks highest (#15) and South Carolina lowest (#36). Tennessee is the most similar on the composite score and South Carolina the most different. Bordering states are listed best to worst; the national line is the mean of the 50 states.
| State | Overall | Score | Median income | Typical home | Cost index | Violent crime | Tax burden | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | #23 | 59.1 | $73,958 | $334,773 | 94.3 | 330 | 8.18% | |
| Virginia | #15 | 67.7 | $92,090 | $414,662 | 101.1 | 206 | 8.86% | Compare → |
| Tennessee | #24 | 57.1 | $71,997 | $334,108 | 91.9 | 492 | 6.38% | Compare → |
| Georgia | #26 | 55.4 | $79,991 | $330,817 | 96.3 | 297 | 8.47% | Compare → |
| South Carolina | #36 | 49.0 | $72,350 | $306,323 | 93.7 | 388 | 8.15% | Compare → |
| United States | — | 57.9 | $80,903 | $368,697 | 100 | 328 | 8.74% |
Overall rank, median income, cost index and tax burden columns are shown on wider screens.
How the score works
Eleven categories, each scored 0–100 and weighted into one composite. Grades follow rank.
The weights
Economy 15% · Safety 12% · Health 12% · Education 12% · Affordability 10% · Fiscal Health 8% · Growth 7% · Transportation 7% · Livability 7% · Outdoor Access 6% · Environment 4%. The composite is the weighted sum, stretched linearly so states spread across most of the 0–100 range.
From raw numbers to scores
Every raw measure is placed on a 0–100 scale between a fixed floor and ceiling, inverted where lower is better (crime, cost, taxes), then combined within its category. The same scale applies to every state.
Letter grades
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. A C+ state is not failing; it is in the middle third.
Cities, budgets and neighbors
The 22 North Carolina city scores, the household budgets and the neighbor table on this page are computed from the same sources as the state score. City ranks are among the cities we track, not all cities in the state.
Editor's notes
Passages marked as editor's notes are written for this state and add context the numbers cannot: regions, tradeoffs, who the state fits. Every figure inside them is pulled from the data at build time, so the words cannot drift from the numbers.
Always the latest release
Each source is the most recent release its agency has published. The page is rebuilt when a source updates, so the score can move without any change in the state itself.
What the score cannot tell you
Weather and climate, culture and pace, politics beyond the Cook index shown for context, the quality of a specific school, hospital or neighborhood, job prospects in your field, and anything without a public, comparable, 50-state source. Statewide averages also hide the metro-versus-rural split, which is why the editor's notes name places.
Category briefs
Economy: Unemployment rate and median household income. Safety: Violent and property crime rates per 100,000 residents. Health: Health outcomes, behaviors, and access to care. Education: K-12 school quality, test scores, and graduation rates. Full methodology →
Key takeaways
What the North Carolina numbers say when read together.
Growth is North Carolina's strongest suit
North Carolina is a #23 state overall but #3 of 50 for growth, 20 places better than its composite rank, with a score of 65.6 against a national average of 38.8. Fiscal Health (#6) is next. Growth carries 7% of the composite.
Outdoor Access is where North Carolina falls furthest behind
North Carolina ranks #37 of 50 for outdoor access, 14 places below its overall #23, with a score of 13.5 against a national average of 29.4. At 6% of the composite, it is the category holding the overall score down most.
Typical home value is 9% below the national average
North Carolina's typical home value is $334,773, 9% below the national average of $368,697, #24 of 50 (1 = cheapest). The largest gap in the other direction is median household income: $73,958, 9% below the national median. Source: Zillow Research ZHVI, latest release.
More households arrive than leave
North Carolina ranks #3 of 50 on net household flow per 1,000 residents (+3.5). The households arriving report $5,874 more in average income than those leaving ($80,162 against $74,288), so the state is trading up on income even as the headcount grows. The largest source is Florida; the largest destination is South Carolina.
A middle income is squeezed less here than in most states
A family of four earning $75,000 ends the year at a $8,560 shortfall after housing, childcare, utilities, groceries, transport and taxes, against a $11,758 shortfall in the median state (#22 of 50). A single adult on the same income comes out at a $32,784 surplus; a retiree couple at a $37,308 surplus. Infant childcare runs $13,916 a year, 11% below the national average.
North Carolina sits 2nd among its 5-state neighborhood
1 of North Carolina's 4 bordering states ranks above its #23; the closest match on the composite is Tennessee. Median income among them runs from $71,997 in Tennessee to $92,090 in Virginia; North Carolina is at $73,958.
Frequently asked questions about living in North Carolina
Is North Carolina a good place to live?
North Carolina ranks #23 of 50 with a B grade, #3 of 14 in the South. It is top 10 in growth and fiscal health. On the six headline measures it beats the national figure on 4 of 6 (home prices, cost of living, unemployment, and tax burden) and trails on income and violent crime. Whether that adds up to a good place to live depends on what you weigh; the household rankings below re-weight the same numbers for families, retirees and remote workers.
Where does North Carolina rank among US states?
North Carolina ranks #23 of 50 overall with a composite score of 59.1 (grade B), and #3 of 14 states in the South. Its best category rank is #3 (growth) and its worst #37 (outdoor access). The composite weights eleven categories, with economy, safety, health and education counting most; grades follow rank, so B means rank 19–26.
Is it expensive to live in North Carolina?
At #21 of 50 for cost of living (1 = cheapest), North Carolina is 6% below the national average: its index is 94.3 against a national baseline of 100. The typical home value is $334,773 (9% below the national average), and buying it takes an income of about $87,803 against a median household income of $73,958. At $75,000, a family of four comes out at a $8,560 shortfall after all costs, #22 of 50 (1 = most left over).
Does North Carolina have a state income tax?
Yes. North Carolina's top state income tax rate is 4.25% (#16 of 50, 1 = lowest), and the total state and local tax burden is 8.18% of income, 0.6 points below the national average. Property tax is 0.73% of home value and combined sales tax 7%.
What is the crime rate in North Carolina?
North Carolina reports 330 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 1% above the national average and #30 of 50 (1 = safest), and 1,780 property crimes per 100,000, 16% above the national average (#38). Its safety score is 63.1 out of 100, #33 of 50. Figures are FBI estimates from the latest release.
Does North Carolina have good schools?
North Carolina is #26 of 50 for education (score 60.6 out of 100). Its public school students average 276 in eighth-grade math on NAEP (#20) and 255 in eighth-grade reading (#35), and the high school graduation rate is 86.4%, 0.8 points above the national average (#25). Among tracked cities with at least three schools, Chapel Hill has the highest graduation rate at 93%.
Why are people moving to North Carolina?
North Carolina gained a net 39,118 households in the latest IRS release: 170,751 moved in and 131,633 moved out, +3.5 per 1,000 residents (#3 of 50). The largest source of arrivals is Florida (20,553 households) and the most common destination is South Carolina (18,026). Arriving households report an average income of $80,162 against $74,288 for those leaving, so movers in earn more than movers out. The IRS files count tax returns and say nothing about motives.
Is North Carolina a red or blue state?
North Carolina is an even split on the Cook Partisan Voting Index. The political lean is shown for context and is not part of the composite score.
Where in North Carolina should I live?
Depends on the paycheck. Tech, pharma or university: the Triangle, with Apex and Cary for families and Durham for a shorter commute. Finance: Charlotte, and look at Fort Mill across the line before buying in Mecklenburg. A budget under the state median: the Triad, where Winston-Salem and Greensboro have cheap houses. Retiring: the Wilmington beaches or the Asheville mountains, both pricier than the state figure.
Does North Carolina get hurricanes?
Yes, and not only on the coast. FEMA rates the state's natural-hazard risk at 24.0, 19% below the national average, which understates the coast: Wilmington, the Outer Banks and the sounds take direct hits. Wind and flood insurance east of Raleigh is the bill newcomers miss. Helene then flooded Asheville and the mountain valleys from the west, so the old rule that the mountains are safe no longer holds.
Why is housing so expensive in North Carolina?
Only relative to local wages. The typical home costs $334,773, 9% below the national average. The price-to-income ratio of 4.5x is above the national 4.6x because arrivals from Florida, New York and California bring $80,162 in income and outbid households earning the state median. The pressure is in Wake and Mecklenburg; the Triad and the east still have plenty of houses under the state figure.
Is North Carolina tax-friendly for retirees?
Halfway. Social Security is not taxed, property tax is low at 0.73%, and counties offer a homestead exclusion for older homeowners under an income limit. But pensions and IRA withdrawals are taxed at the flat 4.25%, with no age-based deduction, which is why Florida, Tennessee and South Carolina keep winning retirees who ran the numbers. At $75,000, a retiree couple comes out at a $37,308 surplus, $1,338 above the national median.
Is North Carolina good for remote workers?
Yes in the metros, less so in the country. 15.4% of workers are at home, #11 nationally, and the state ranks #17 for remote workers. Broadband reaches 93.2% of households, and the gaps are in the rural east and the mountains, where a remote worker would most want to live. Asheville and Wilmington have the fiber; the counties beyond often do not.
What is the weather like in North Carolina year-round?
Three climates. The coast is humid and mild, with hurricane season through the fall. The Piedmont gets long hot summers, a short winter with an ice storm or two, and a pollen-heavy March spring. The mountains run a season cooler: real snow, cool nights, and fall color that fills every Asheville hotel. Air quality is 6% above the national average, with summer ozone in the Piedmont.
All the numbers
Every metric behind North Carolina's 11 category scores, with the national figure beside each. Pick a category.