Map the Block › Places › North Carolina › Avery County
What are the crime rate and median income in Avery County, North Carolina?
The violent-crime rate in Avery County was 1.4 per 1,000 residents (2021-2025 average, FBI), 63% lower than the statewide rate (3.8). Households here have a median income of $61,428 and the unemployment rate was 3.0% in August 2026. It is home to roughly 17,680 residents.
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in Avery County?
Over 2021-2025, the county's police agencies sent the FBI reports of about 24 violent and 150 property crimes per year. That is 1.4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents, 63% lower than the North Carolina rate (3.8), and 61% lower than the U.S. rate (3.7). Burglary, theft and car theft together come to 8.8 per 1,000 residents, compared with 20.0 across North Carolina.
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Avery County | Per 1,000 | North Carolina per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 24 | 1.4 | 3.8 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 0 | 0.00 | 0.08 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 4 | 0.24 | 0.29 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 0 | 0.00 | 0.51 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 19 | 1.1 | 3.0 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 150 | 8.8 | 20.0 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 41 | 2.4 | 3.5 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 91 | 5.4 | 14.2 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 18 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (4 agencies; 96% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Avery County?
The median household in Avery County earns $61,428 a year, 15% lower than the North Carolina median ($72,388). Owner-occupied homes have a median value of $265,800, and the median rent is $773 a month. 13.9% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 12.8%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 3.0% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 236 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Avery County | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,680 | 10,730,404 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $61,428 | $72,388 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $265,800 | $288,900 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $773 | $1,228 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 4.8% | 4.7% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 10.2% | 13.0% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 13.9% | 12.8% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 25.0% | 35.7% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 83.0% | 66.6% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 47.1 | 39.1 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 85.2% | 90.1% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 12.5% | 9.9% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Avery County?
Avery County carries a “Relatively Low” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. No single hazard among floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat waves, earthquakes and hurricanes is rated higher than “Relatively Moderate”. The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
EPA lists no Superfund site in Avery County, active or completed (October 2026).
High-hazard dams
The National Inventory of Dams lists 19 high-hazard dams in Avery County. 6 are rated Poor or Unsatisfactory in condition, 13 Satisfactory or Fair. Tallest on the list: Cranberry Dam (58 ft) and Grandfather Mountain Club Lake Dam (53 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
Disasters, air and water
Avery County was covered by 2 federal major disaster declarations from 2016 through 2025 (Tropical Storm 1, Hurricane 1), not counting COVID-19. In 2024, 0 of 245 monitored days had an air quality index of “unhealthy for sensitive groups” or worse (EPA). Of 18 community water systems, none had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 2 (moderate).
Is there road construction in Avery County?
The state DOT feed had no interstate, U.S. or state highway work zones in Avery County on October 11, 2026. Some states publish only part of their road work in open feeds, so check the state's 511 site before you travel. The map's layer refreshes every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Avery County?
Avery County has 10 public schools (2024-25) and 2 private schools (2023-24) in federal school lists. 1 nursing home is certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 10 fire or EMS stations and 5 police or sheriff stations.
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Avery County
Gun shops
3 gun shops with a public storefront are on the map in Avery County, plus 4 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). On the ATF list: Brinkley Hardware (Elk Park), Mountaineer Outfitters INC (Newland) and Three Nails Hardware (Newland).
Liquor stores
2 liquor stores are on the map in Avery County: High Country ABC Store (Banner Elk) and Louisiana Purchase Food and Spirits (Banner Elk). North Carolina has no complete public liquor licence list we can use, so this count also draws on OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps and may miss some stores or include closed ones.
Planned Parenthood
There is no Planned Parenthood health center in Avery County on the map.
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official; partial in some states); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Avery County?
Avery County averaged 24 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 1.4 per 1,000 residents, 63% lower than the North Carolina rate (3.8). The property-crime rate was 8.8 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Avery County?
$61,428 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $72,388 for North Carolina and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Avery County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 3.0% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 236 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Avery County?
Avery County carries a “Relatively Low” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. No single hazard among floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat waves, earthquakes and hurricanes is rated higher than “Relatively Moderate”.
Is there road construction in Avery County right now?
The state DOT feed had no interstate, U.S. or state highway work zones in Avery County on October 11, 2026. Some states publish only part of their road work in open feeds, so check the state's 511 site before you travel.
How many nursing homes are in Avery County?
1 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Avery County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burke County | 87,795 | 2.4 | $58,592 |
| Caldwell County | 80,536 | 1.5 | $56,425 |
| Carter County, TN | 56,712 | 2.9 | $50,135 |
| Johnson County, TN | 18,196 | 2.9 | $53,129 |
| McDowell County | 44,817 | 1.6 | $57,168 |
| Mitchell County | 14,992 | 0.56 | $57,602 |
| Watauga County | 55,123 | 0.92 | $51,693 |
More: North Carolina statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
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