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Place dossier plate
SheetNC-KING-NC · King, NC 7,345 pop · income 36th pct · 13 tracts
Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.
Income neighbourhood around King
Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest King on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.
median HH income
Cullowhee · lowest
35,076
Cullowhee · lowest
35,076 median HH income
30.4% of the leader · rank #1
Palmdale · near
60,449
Palmdale · near
60,449 median HH income
52.4% of the leader · rank #2
Conestee · near
60,450
Conestee · near
60,450 median HH income
52.4% of the leader · rank #3
King · this city
60,451
King · this city
60,451 median HH income
52.4% of the leader · rank #4
Strasburg · near
60,455
Strasburg · near
60,455 median HH income
52.4% of the leader · rank #5
New Chapel Hi… · near
60,455
New Chapel Hi… · near
60,455 median HH income
52.4% of the leader · rank #6
Porters Neck · highest
115,417
Porters Neck · highest
115,417 median HH income
100.0% of the leader · rank #7
What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by population, income, and FBI crime rate
Out-of-state nearest neighbors for King on ACS population and median household income
, plus FBI UCR reporting rate when the extract covers this place. Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.
Similar population
Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 7,345.
Agency-reported UCR totals per 100,000 population, not a neighborhood safety grade or a prediction of personal risk.
King - the verdict
Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, King lands in the 36th percentile for household income and the 53rd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.
36th
percentile, household income
50th
percentile, home value
48th
percentile, median rent
53rd
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: King, NC
Census ACS 2023 estimates count 7,345 residents in King, a small town within North Carolina. King households earn a median of $60,451 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 3.6%. Home values in King run a median of $227,500, and the median resident age is 46.1 years. 28.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 53.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.
In 2024, 121 residential building permits were authorized in King (Building Boom), up 303% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. King reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1276.0 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures 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. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,161 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $215 across North Carolina, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 20.6 minutes, with 85.6% driving alone and 8.7% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 66.7 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Moderate).
A decision-led reading path
Useful questions to ask of King's data
How this reading path is ordered
This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from schools and households to within-city variation to comparison shortlist to population change to housing and income to reported crime to work and mobility; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.
For King, city-specific coverage includes within-city Census tract profiles, FBI reported-crime rates, annual population history, local building permits, commute-mode shares, matched public-school count.
All six city-specific enrichment layers used by this profile are present.
1. Schools and households
What does the education layer cover for King?
The city has a broader matched school footprint, but count alone does not describe performance, capacity, program availability, or attendance boundaries. This profile deliberately avoids converting it into an unsupported family-friendliness score.
The NCES join finds 6 public schools within the city match. 28.2% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher in the ACS estimate. These measures answer different questions: the school count describes local institutions, while adult attainment describes residents and cannot be used as a school-quality rating.
PlainCities matches 13 Census tracts to this city.
That layer breaks the citywide income, rent, and home-value medians into smaller Census geographies, which can reveal differences that one municipal median necessarily hides. A tract is a statistical area, not a locally defined neighborhood or a promise about conditions on a particular block. Start with the city profile for the broad comparison, then use the tract layer to test whether the same housing and income pattern is consistent across the city. Large within-city spreads are a reason to avoid treating any citywide median as a universal resident experience.
Which cities make useful reference points for King?
Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching. The nationwide peer panel below adds a fourth FBI UCR reporting-rate lens, not personal risk.
Within North Carolina, the closest population matches are Forest City (7,368 residents, $35,897 income); Cullowhee (7,300 residents, $35,076 income); Mills River (7,214 residents, $88,359 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Bellbrook, OH (7,344 residents); Pea Ridge, AR (7,348 residents); Archbald, PA (7,348 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.
Census PEP estimates show the population grew by +764 residents from 2020 to 2025, a +10.6% change. Separately, Census BPS recorded 121 housing units authorized in 2024. PEP and ACS are different Census series, so the trend is kept separate from the headline ACS population.
Recent estimates point upward. Growth can increase housing demand and service needs, but the permit record must move in the same direction before calling it a supply response; the two series measure different things.
These joined records add useful context, but they do not need another full-size panel. Each remains a separate measure with its own geography and source boundary.
Housing and income
How far does income reach against housing in King?
This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Income and home value move within the same broad scale here. The useful next check is not a generic affordability label, but whether similar-size cities offer a materially different income, housing, or commute trade-off.
The home-value-to-income reference sits in a middle range: the ACS median home value is 3.8 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 3.6%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.
Value / income
3.8×
Home value
$227,500
Household income
$60,451
City-level Census ACS 2023 medians. The ratio divides two separate medians and is descriptive only.
The joined FBI UCR record reports 1276.0 violent and property crimes per 100,000 residents, below the 2280.5 national reference used here. The difference is 44% lower in arithmetic terms, but agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies.
Treat this as a reporting-rate comparison, not a prediction of personal risk or a neighborhood-level safety grade. Tourism, daytime population, reporting practices, and variation inside the city are not adjusted away. The state rank and same-state peer table are the narrower comparisons available on this page.
Total reported rate
1276.0
Violent rate
78.1
Property rate
1197.9
FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, incidents per 100,000. Voluntary agency reporting; not a danger score.
Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 85.6%. The reported mean trip to work is 20.6 minutes.
Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. The profile is strongly car-oriented, so a relocation comparison should put trip distance, vehicle access, and household fuel costs ahead of a citywide commute average. The same-state peer links offer a more relevant benchmark than a national label.
Drive alone
85.6%
Work from home
8.7%
Public transit
0.0%
City-level Census ACS commuting estimates covering 3,271 workers age 16+.
Below median income · poverty 3.6% (Below-median poverty)
Cost of Living Index (state)
94.3 (US=100)
Near national cost · BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average
C+
City profile score · King, NC
60/100
5 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023
Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians
(income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when
published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability
rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out
and redistribute weight.
How it is calculated.
Violent crime B+
78 /100k
FBI UCR violent offenses per 100,000 residents; lower is stronger on this axis.
Poverty rate B
3.6%
Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.
Cost of living B-
94.3 index
BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.
Bachelor's+ share C
28.2%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.
Household income F
$60,451
Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.
King profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)Read the chart values
Violent crime: 76/100 (B+) · 78 /100k
Poverty rate: 74/100 (B) · 3.6%
Cost of living: 67/100 (B-) · 94.3 index
Bachelor's+ share: 55/100 (C) · 28.2%
Household income: 35/100 (F) · $60,451
Where King sits on home value vs crime among peer cities
King's median home value and FBI crime rate plotted with similar-size and
same-state peers (padded with large cities when the peer set is thin). The second
read: pricey does not always mean safer, check which quadrant this city lands in.
Census ACS median home value vs FBI UCR crime rate - King highlighted among 8 peers.Read the chart values
King, NC (this city): home $227,500, crime 1,276/100k
Bellbrook, OH : home $246,200, crime 497/100k
Pea Ridge, AR : home $255,600, crime 960/100k
Archbald, PA : home $211,400, crime 599/100k
Salem, IL : home $99,800, crime 1,531/100k
Dunbar, WV : home $121,100, crime 2,122/100k
Forest City, NC : home $142,100, crime 5,818/100k
Marion, NC : home $131,100, crime 3,443/100k
How does King compare to other US cities?
King measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.
Household income36% higher than other cities
Home value50% pricier than other cities
Median rent48% pricier than other cities
Safety53% safer than other cities
"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.
A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to North Carolina alone, King ranks #38 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.
How we calculate these percentiles & ranks
Each percentile compares King 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
Median Gross Rent places King near the bottom of North Carolina's cities
Among the 746 North Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, King ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares King only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.
Median Household Income
#329 of 700
53rd percentile in North Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 746
0th percentile in North Carolina
Median Home Value
#250 of 708
65th percentile in North Carolina
Poverty Rate
#559 of 746
25th percentile in North Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#252 of 746
66th percentile in North Carolina
How in-state ranks are ordered
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.
Gauge source note
36th percentile nationally for median household income · 53rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.
King's profile vs. every US city
Income, affordability, and safety percentile
King'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 King's home value compares nationally
Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)
$227,500Among the most affordablemore affordable than 50% of 15,600 US cities
Show national distribution
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
King's home-value-to-income ratio: 3.8×
ACS median home value divided by median household income.
Band
moderate
3.0–5.0×
National rank
#9,931 of 15,516
More affordable than 36% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#7,865 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)
At 3.8×, King sits in the moderate band:
national rank #9,931 of 15,516 and #7,865 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000).
Income and home value move in the same broad scale; check same-state peers before treating the multiple as an advantage or a warning.
How this ratio is calculated
Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000.
Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0).
This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.
Income distribution context
$60,451King, NC median household income (Census ACS)
Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context King, NC median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for King, NC.
Key socioeconomic indicators
Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+)28.2%
Census ACS S1501, educational attainment
Poverty rate (households below FPL)3.6%
Census ACS S1701, poverty status
Labor force participation (adults 16+)53.9%
Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force
Population
7,345
Median Income
$60,451
Median Home Value
$227,500
Median Age
46.1
Poverty Rate
3.6%
Labor force participation
53.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
28.2%
Safety & Crime
Total Crime Rate
1276.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
78.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1197.9
per 100,000 residents
Crime reporting caveat
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
PEP vintage
Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025
King's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.Read the chart as text
Period
Population
2020
7,213 residents
2021
7,265 residents
2022
7,416 residents
2023
7,538 residents
2024
7,763 residents
2025
7,977 residents
Housing Supply
BPS source
Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized
📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
121
housing units authorized
Single-Family
121
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
16.5
permits per 1,000 residents
5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)
Year
Total
Single-Family
Multifamily
Est. Value
2019
30
30
0
$6.8M
2020
45
45
0
$11.8M
2021
69
69
0
$21.3M
2022
67
67
0
$18.4M
2023
109
109
0
$24.1M
2024
121
121
0
$43.0M
Permit volume increased 303% from 2019 to 2024.
Commute Patterns
Commute source
How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023
Average Commute Time
20.6 minutes
Drive Alone
85.6%
Carpool
3.7%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
8.7%
Other
2.0%
Based on 3,271 workers 16 and over.
Monthly Utility Costs
North Carolina statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $215
EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across North Carolina at $215 (electricity about $115 , water and sewer about $45 ).
These are North Carolina statewide averages, not a meter reading for King. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.
Living Costs & Risk
North Carolina's BEA cost-of-living index is 94.3 (Below Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around King is $1,161/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to North Carolina statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 66.7 / 100 (Moderate).
Cost/risk geography note
Cost of living is a North Carolina statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county King sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.
How King compares to similar-size North Carolina cities
Same-state peer method
Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, 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.