City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Granite Falls, NC

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Granite Falls - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

4,921
Residents
$74,250
Median income
$203,100
Median home
$1,095
Median rent (state)

Granite Falls - the verdict

Granite Falls ranks in the 55th percentile for household income and the 14th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

55th
percentile, household income
44th
percentile, home value
28th
percentile, median rent
14th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Granite Falls, NC

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 4,921 residents in Granite Falls, a small town within North Carolina. The typical household in Granite Falls brings in $74,250 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 9.6%. Home values in Granite Falls run a median of $203,100, and the median resident age is 42.4 years. 27.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 55.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Granite Falls's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 3178.4 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, North Carolina scores 94.3 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,095 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $215 across North Carolina, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 67.4 out of 100 (Moderate).

Population

4,921 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$74,250 /yr

Poverty 9.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Granite Falls compare to other US cities?

Granite Falls measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 55% higher than other cities
Home value 44% pricier than other cities
Median rent 28% pricier than other cities
Safety 14% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at North Carolina, Granite Falls ranks #117 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Granite Falls against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to North Carolina only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

North Carolina-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher sits close to the middle of North Carolina's city distribution

Among the 746 North Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Granite Falls ranks #264 - the 64th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Granite Falls only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#203 of 700
71st percentile in North Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#389 of 746
42nd percentile in North Carolina
Median Home Value
#323 of 708
54th percentile in North Carolina
Poverty Rate
#366 of 746
51st percentile in North Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#264 of 746
64th percentile in North Carolina

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within North Carolina only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

55thIncome percentile
14thSafety percentile

55th percentile nationally for median household income · 14th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Granite Falls's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Granite Falls's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 44 Avg. percentile National median
Granite Falls's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Granite Falls's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$203,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 56% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Granite Falls $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Granite Falls, NC Granite Falls, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Granite Falls, NC-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Granite Falls, NC median $74,250/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Granite Falls, NC's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Granite Falls, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 27.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 55.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
4,921
Median Income
$74,250
Median Home Value
$203,100
Median Age
42.4
Poverty Rate
9.6%
Labor force participation
55.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
27.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3178.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
203.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2974.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
4,900 residents4,920 residents4,940 residents4,960 residents4,980 residents 202020212022202320242025 4,946 residents 4,964 residents ▲ +0.4%
Granite Falls's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
83.0%
Carpool
4.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.8%
Work from Home
10.0%
Other
1.7%

Based on 2,054 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for North Carolina - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$215
estimated/month

Estimates reflect North Carolina state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a North Carolina state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Granite Falls sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,095/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
67.4 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Creedmoor
4,957 people
Wadesboro
4,966 people
Long View
4,967 people
James
4,859 people
Pleasant Garden
4,989 people
Carolina Shores
4,843 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Granite Falls's 4,921 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Barling, AR
4,919 people
Nashville, GA
4,918 people
Rio Communities, NM
4,924 people
Progreso, TX
4,918 people
Herculaneum, MO
4,925 people
Edwardsville, PA
4,917 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Granite Falls's $74,250 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Petaluma Center, CA
$74,250 median income
Berkshire Lakes, FL
$74,250 median income
Sunset, UT
$74,250 median income
Hartford, WI
$74,252 median income
Spencer, WI
$74,245 median income
Machesney Park, IL
$74,244 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Granite Falls, NC Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Granite Falls, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 75.7% 10.0% 10.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 13.3% White 75.7% Black or African American 2.6% Asian 0.9% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 10.0% Two or more races 10.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Granite Falls compares to nearby North Carolina cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Granite Falls (this city) 4,921 $74,250
Creedmoor 4,957 $77,799
Wadesboro 4,966 $34,125
Long View 4,967 $44,156
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Granite Falls, NC?

What is the population of Granite Falls, NC? +

Granite Falls, NC counts 4,921 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Granite Falls, NC? +

Median annual household income in Granite Falls runs $74,250, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Granite Falls? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Granite Falls; the closest available measure is the North Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 94.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within North Carolina vary by metro area.

Is Granite Falls, NC safe? +

Granite Falls has a total crime rate of 3178.4 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Granite Falls, NC? +

The median home value in Granite Falls is $203,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.