North Carolina

Richest city in NC is minutes from Asheville: See the top 10 in Forbes analysis

Published

2 years ago

July 10, 2024

Richest city in NC is minutes from Asheville: See the top 10 in Forbes analysis

Among 739 census-designated places in North Carolina, some stand out from the rest when it comes to resident income, home value and more.

Using data from the 2022 U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey five-year estimates, Forbes compiled a list of the richest cities in N.C. based on median household income, average household income, median home value and median property taxes paid.

Here’s what they found.

More: Answer Man: How many residents qualify for affordable housing in Asheville?

Biltmore Forest richest city in NC

Based on the statistics Forbes used, Biltmore Forest located in the Asheville metro area was the richest location in the state, with a median household income of $173,750.

The town also has the highest median home value in N.C., a reported $1,074,500. Average household income is the second highest in the state at $317,802 across 580 households.

Median is the midpoint in a series numbers arranged in order of largest to smallest. For instance, the median of 1, 3, 8, 15, 22 is 8. Average is the sum of all numbers in a set divided by the number of numbers in the set. The average of 1, 3, 8, 15, 22 is 9.8.

Previous reporting from the Asheville Citizen Times showed that Biltmore Forest’s budget allocation for affordable housing is $0 as of 2024. Taxes have not increased in the town since at least 2021.

More: Asheville spends millions on affordable housing; its neighbor, NC’s richest town, $0

What are the richest cities in NC?

Forbes added a few notes on its list of 50 cities. First, writers mentioned that the Grandfather, while second highest on the list, is a tiny village of only 36 total households in a fully gated community within the Grandfather Golf and Country Club. Also mentioned was the largest city on the list – Cary, with 64,512 households, in 23rd place in the state.

For the full list of 50, visit the Forbes webpage. Here are the top 10 richest locations in N.C.:

Biltmore Forest – 580 households, $173,750 median household income, $317,802 average household income, $1,074,500 median home value, $7,287 median property taxes paid.
Grandfather Village – 36 households, $173,750 median household income, $329,828 average household income, $916,700 median home value, $3,000 median property taxes paid.
Governors Club – 858 households, $195,682 median household income, $274,104 average household income, $802,600 median home value, $6,018 median property taxes paid.
Marvin – 1,815 households, $221,350 median household income, $255,494 average household income, $686,600 median home value, $5,072 median property taxes paid.
Bald Head Island – 89 households, $121,458 median household income, $205,078 average household income, $888,400 median home value, $8,625 median property taxes paid.
Lake Norman of Iredell – 4,248 households, $162,143 median household income, $224,096 average household income, $695,000 median home value, $3,702 median property taxes paid.
Wrightsville Beach – 1,242 households, $111,346 median household income, $158,222 average household income, $855,700 median home value, $4,716 median property taxes paid.
Weddington – 4,179 households, $152,377 median household income, $194,027 average household income, $549,200 median home value, $3,556 median property taxes paid.
Walnut Creek – 503 households, $150,938 median household income, $221,383 average household income, $394,800 median home value, $3,706 median property taxes paid.
Davidson – 5,292 households, $141,845 median household income, $183,102 average household income, $478,000 median home value, $4,187 median property taxes paid.

More: Tax-free weekend in NC was repealed in 2014: Here’s how to get deals in SC

Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.

Source link

Click to comment

North Carolina

Gov. Stein proposes $1.4B ‘critical needs’ budget for North Carolina

Published

12 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Gov. Stein proposes .4B ‘critical needs’ budget for North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. (WLOS) — With North Carolina still without a new state budget, Gov. Josh Stein is urging state lawmakers to approve a $1.4 billion “Critical Needs Budget.” Stein says this budget will address the state’s most urgent priorities while the General Assembly works on a full spending plan.

“North Carolina has gone nearly two and a half years without passing a new state budget – the only state in the country to finish 2025 without one[…]This budget invests in critical public safety, education and health care services for the people of North Carolina that cannot wait,” Gov. Stein said in a press release Monday.

A major part of Stein’s proposal is $319 million to fully fund Medicaid, which provides health coverage to over three million North Carolinians. This program also supports rural hospitals, nursing homes and statewide health care providers, per the release.

JUDGE ORDERS FEMA TO REINSTATE $200M STORM RELIEF PROGRAM, ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS

The “Critical Needs Budget” would target public safety staffing and pay. According to the governor’s office, North Carolina currently ranks 49th in starting salaries for state troopers and correctional officers, and low pay has contributed to staffing shortages and vacancy rates. This budget would bring pay raises to correctional officers, law enforcement officers, probation and parole officers and more.

Stein’s proposed budget calls for raising starting and average teacher pay, as well as increasing pay for senior teachers and other education staff. The governor’s office said the state remains in the bottom 10 nationally in average teacher pay.

The budget proposal also includes pay increases for state employees and a cost-of-living adjustment for retired state employees, citing rising inflation costs and increasing health care premiums. Stein’s plan also includes targeted funding to maintain essential services, such as support for child care access and affordability.

Source link

North Carolina

The North Carolina Arboretum’s “Spring Into the Arb” returns for year two

Published

24 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

The North Carolina Arboretum’s “Spring Into the Arb” returns for year two

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — The North Carolina Arboretum has announced a new season of “Spring Into the Arb!”

The “Spring Into the Arb!” is in its second year, with its series of plant shows and sales, science and nature activities, music, and art, allowing people to reemerge and reconnect with nature.

The season begins with Nature Play Day on Saturday, March 14, continuing through April, May, and June with new activities every weekend.

TROLLS DRAW LARGE WEEKEND CROWD, FORCING N.C. ARBORETUM TO TEMPORARILY CLOSE

According to a news release, throughout the season, guests can enjoy the following:

Asheville Orchid Festival, annual Ikebana and Rose shows
Purchase plants at the Spring Plant Sale and Market
Get back to their native roots with Native Azalea Day, Mountain Science Expo, and Nature Play Day

The series culminates with Bonsai in the Blue Ridge in June, according to the release.

The release says guests and members are invited to drop in on the newly-opened Arbor Eatery in the Arboretum’s Education Center, which is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Hours extend to 5 p.m. beginning April 1.

Spring Into the Arb events and programs are included with the regular Arboretum parking fee of $25 per vehicle. Arboretum Society Members get in free.

NC ARBORETUM MARKS BIRD DAY WITH WALKS, DEMOS AHEAD OF GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT

According to the release, additional admission is required for the Asheville Orchid Festival and Bonsai in the Blue Ridge.

A full list of the Spring Into the Arb 2026 events includes:

Nature Play Day: March 14
Asheville Orchid Festival: March 28 to 29
Music in the Mountains Day: April 4
Arbor Day Celebration: April 11
Native Azalea Day: April 18
Mountain Science Expo: April 25
World Bonsai Day: May 9
Change of Seasons: Spring into Ikebana: May 16 to 17
The Asheville-Blue Ridge Rose Society Exhibition: May 22 to 24
The Arb in Focus: 40 Views for 40 Years: Opening May 23
Spring Plant Sale and Market: May 29 to 30
Bonsai in the Blue Ridge: June 4 to 7

For more information, visit here.

Source link

North Carolina

Michael Jordan North Carolina “Sports Illustrated” cover sells for record $229k

Published

1 day ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

Michael Jordan North Carolina “Sports Illustrated” cover sells for record 9k

A copy of Michael Jordan’s 1983 “Sports Illustrated” cover debut sold for $229,360 on Saturday night at Goldin, obliterating the previous record for a graded magazine.

Before Saturday, the previous record was the $126,000 paid for Jordan’s 1984 SI debut in a Bulls uniform entitled “A Star Is Born.”

“Sports Illustrated” magazines are very common and people kept them, but collectors narrowed the category by making rarer newsstand copies most collectible, and graded condition of those copies to narrow the most desirable down further.

Then, in July, came PSA to challenge CGC in the grading space.

The record UNC Jordan, with teammate Sam Perkins on the cover, was the only PSA 9.6. The question is, with PSA’s grading just beginning, are there others our there?

It’s possible, but that Jordan issue presents a challenge because it has a gatefold that makes it more challenging to press out defects.

The big price will likely create a group of opportunists who will now take raw subscription copies of this issue and get them graded for potential arbitrage.

But it won’t be that easy. A CGC 8.0 newsstand edition sold for $4,636 in October.

Whether the big price also creates more grading and selling of rare magazines remains to be seen, but PSA’s entrance into the space has definitely turned heads.

PSA has graded more than 50 of this particular issue, the second most commonly graded after the “Star is Born” issue.

Darren Rovell is the founder of cllct and one of the country’s leading reporters on the collectibles market. He previously worked for ESPN, CNBC and The Action Network.

Source link