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

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


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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.

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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.

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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.

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.



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North Carolina

SBI investigating murder in Madison County

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SBI investigating murder in Madison County


The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation has confirmed that they are investigating a murder in Madison County that occurred around 3 a.m. on March 31.

News 13 is working to get more information. This story will be updated.



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North Carolina

Suspect accused of stabbing pregnant woman outside North Carolina Harris Teeter

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Suspect accused of stabbing pregnant woman outside North Carolina Harris Teeter


CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A woman accused of stabbing a pregnant woman in southeast Charlotte earlier this month has been arrested, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

Officers responded to an assault with a deadly weapon call just before 11:30 a.m. on March 18 in the 100 block of South Sharon Amity Road. The stabbing happened outside, in the parking lot of a Harris Teeter grocery store.

When CMPD officers arrived, they found a 38-year-old woman who had been stabbed. CMPD said she told them she had been stabbed once during the attack. Her injuries were described as non-life-threatening, and she was treated and later released from the hospital.


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Following the attack, investigators released surveillance footage and were asking anyone who recognized the suspect or vehicle involved to come forward.

On Monday, March 30, police announced they’ve identified the suspect as Marvina Marie Hardy. Hardy was located by CMPD’s VCAT detectives, with the assistance of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Florida Division Law Enforcement, and Florida State Highway Patrol.

Hardy is currently in custody at the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Jail in Florida and is awaiting extradition back to North Carolina. She is facing several charges, including assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill/inflict serious injury and battery of an unborn child.

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I fled hellhole LA for my dream life in the country. Look how much better my life is now

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I fled hellhole LA for my dream life in the country. Look how much better my life is now


A woman who once swore by the California dream says wildfires, sky-high costs — and a crackdown on her Airbnb lifeline — pushed her to pack up and flee Los Angeles for good.

Natasha Thomlinson-Clark is one of thousands of Angelinos who have left the state in recent months, driven out by a variety of factors, according to newly released Census data.

The urge to relocate crept in slowly, starting when local ordinances and a risk of fines, forced her to stop relying on a short-term rental to supplement her income.

“I had an Airbnb in West Hollywood that was basically how I survived before,” said Thomlinson-Clark. “They shut down my Airbnb…[it was] very hard for me financially.”

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Then came the final straw when the Palisades Fire forced her and her husband Luke to reconsider their living situation.

Natasha Thomlinson-Clark and her husband Luke decided to leave LA County after the Palisdes Fire. Natasha Thomlinson-Clark
Thomlinson-Clark ditched LA for Charlotte, North Carolina. Natasha Thomlinson-Clark

“Then the fires really — that kinda freaked us out a lot,” she said. “We were paying all this money … couldn’t get house insurance. We were basically sitting ducks with no housing insurance.”

“I thought, ‘what are we doing?’”

Within months, Thomlinson-Clark ditched LA for Charlotte, North Carolina — a move she admits was “a bit of a knee-jerk reaction,” but one that quickly paid off.

“We came straight to Charlotte … it was cheaper, it made financial sense to me.”

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The couple snapped up a sprawling 2,800-square-foot home for $660,000 in May 2025 — a price that would barely land a modest property in Southern California.

“What you can buy here is ridiculous compared to California,” she said.

The couple bought a 2,800-square-foot home for $660,000 in May 2025. Natasha Thomlinson-Clark
Los Angeles County lost roughly 54,000 residents, the largest population drop in the nation. Getty Images

The numbers back her up.

Los Angeles County lost roughly 54,000 residents between July 2024 and July 2025, the largest population drop in the nation, according to newly released US Census Bureau data. Once topping 10 million residents, the county has now slipped to under 9.7 million — a steady decline with no clear end in sight.

Experts say affordability is the driving force.

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Realtor.com senior economist Joel Berner noted that LA’s housing affordability score sits at just 0.41, far below the national average of 0.77. Median rent in the county has surged to $2,709 — compared to $1,667 nationwide — leaving many residents priced out.

“Incomes in LA have simply not kept pace with housing costs,” Berner said, adding that many are “squeezed to the point where they have to choose to leave.”

That’s exactly what Thomlinson-Clark did — even if it wasn’t easy.

“I had never thought about leaving LA. If I’m honest, the fires were a big driving force,” she said. “I worked really hard to get to California — specifically, I picked California.”

She insists the move wasn’t political, still, the financial upside has been hard to ignore. After buying her first home ten months ago, she told The Post, she bought a second one last Friday.

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“Money goes much farther here,” she said.

It’s a trend LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger is watching closely.

“Los Angeles County’s population decline is a clear signal that we must stay focused on the fundamentals — public safety and affordability,” Barger said in a statement to The Post. “When people feel safe and can afford to live here, they stay and invest in their communities. If we lose sight of that balance, we risk losing the very workforce and families that make our region strong.”

Even so, Thomlinson-Clark hasn’t completely shut the door on the Golden State.

“Financially it’s better, but you do give up a lot,” she admitted. “California — it’s the sunshine tax you pay. There’s a lot to do in California.”

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“Really tough to leave,” she added. “I can’t say I’ll be here forever.”



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