Jobs, pay and daily life in Boone, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Boone is a city in North Carolina with 20,032 residents. The median household earns $30,065 a year and the median rent is $1,111 a month, which is 44.3% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC (154,090 jobs), about 23 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Boone compares. Among the 100 largest places in North Carolina, Boone is #49 by population, #100 for household income (#1 = highest), #99 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #10 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Watauga County, is #61 of 100 counties for average pay ($48,024).
Boone has 20,032 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of North Carolina. It covers 6 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 3,137 people per square mile. The median age is 21.3, 46% younger than the state median (21.3 against 39.1).
The median gross rent is $1,111 a month (rent plus utilities), 10% below the state median ($1,111 against $1,228). Over a year that is 44.3% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so rent here is above that line for the typical household. The median home value is $411,100, which is 13.7 times the median household income ($30,065); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 26.2% of households own their home, 61% below the state average (26.2% against 66.6%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC, metropolitan area has 154,090 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $45,220 a year, 11% below the national median ($45,220 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (27,410 jobs, median $45,450); transportation and material moving (17,290 jobs, median $41,290); office and administrative support (15,540 jobs, median $43,110). The area is most specialised in production (3.2 times) and transportation and material moving (1.3 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($103,700) and healthcare practitioners and technical ($78,990). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Watauga County was 2.6%. 53.9% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Watauga County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 63.7% drive alone, 4.2% use public transit, 13.2% walk, 10.1% work from home. 6.5% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 53% below the state average (6.5% against 13.9%).
56.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 59% above the state share (56.8% against 35.6%). 4.5% of residents were born outside the United States, 50% below the state share (4.5% against 9.1%). The poverty rate is 51.2%, 293% above the state rate (51.2% against 13.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 73°F (22.7°C), and the coolest is Jan at 33°F (0.6°C). About 1,267 mm (50 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jul is the wettest month (129 mm) and Feb the driest (84 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Lenoir (23 miles, rent 40% lower); Morganton (33 miles, rent 15% lower); Elizabethton (33 miles, rent 33% lower); Hickory (38 miles, rent 4% lower). Rent differences are against Boone; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in North Carolina (496) →State guide: North CarolinaCountry guideWatauga CountyNorth Carolina rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 496 federal postings open in North Carolina (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in North Carolina →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 4,850 | 1.66 | $40,240 | $30,520 | $47,590 | +0% |
| Retail Salespersons | 4,000 | 1.04 | $30,520 | $22,500 | $45,700 | -14% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 3,500 | 1.25 | $38,130 | $29,460 | $49,580 | +2% |
| Cashiers | 3,470 | 1.13 | $27,570 | $22,150 | $34,530 | -16% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 3,190 | 2.29 | $42,770 | $30,710 | $57,650 | -4% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 3,050 | 1.49 | $57,460 | $40,640 | $78,410 | -2% |
| Registered Nurses | 3,020 | 0.90 | $80,060 | $66,020 | $100,990 | -18% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,930 | 0.77 | $27,580 | $21,340 | $36,170 | -12% |
| Nursing Assistants | 2,780 | 1.94 | $37,430 | $31,240 | $44,860 | -11% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 2,650 | 4.16 | $27,550 | $21,810 | $34,310 | -11% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2,250 | 0.87 | $37,790 | $28,770 | $55,210 | -16% |
| Office Clerks, General | 2,060 | 0.84 | $40,340 | $27,610 | $56,820 | -10% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 2,040 | 0.48 | $30,490 | $23,570 | $37,380 | -15% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 2,000 | 0.89 | $29,310 | $16,170 | $57,830 | -17% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 1,790 | 1.87 | $38,380 | $33,920 | $48,660 | -16% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 1,760 | 2.64 | $64,910 | $45,850 | $95,570 | -13% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,750 | 0.50 | $95,640 | $45,060 | $219,920 | -10% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 1,730 | 1.41 | $67,150 | $37,430 | $131,870 | -7% |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | 1,710 | 2.88 | $43,140 | $35,350 | $58,300 | -11% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 1,570 | 1.15 | $45,130 | $31,530 | $61,380 | -11% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC, about 23 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $45,220 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.0% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 27.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 23.7% |
| Retail trade | 20.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.5% |
| Other services | 6.0% |
| Construction | 3.3% |
| Manufacturing | 2.8% |
| Information | 2.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 2.7% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 1.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.7% |
| Public administration | 0.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.1% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Boone lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watauga County | 55,123 | $3,193 million | $57,918 | 25,106 | 2,018 | $48,024 | +0.3% | 2.6% | 28,833 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 4,300 | 22.8% | $22,204 | 1.88 |
| Health care and social assistance | 3,864 | 20.5% | $65,945 | 1.07 |
| Retail trade | 3,504 | 18.6% | $30,974 | 1.40 |
| Construction | 1,082 | 5.7% | $52,752 | 0.82 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 922 | 4.9% | $28,408 | 2.18 |
| Administrative and waste services | 911 | 4.8% | $42,360 | 0.62 |
| Professional and technical services | 908 | 4.8% | $83,111 | 0.52 |
| Real estate and rental | 764 | 4.0% | $46,492 | 1.96 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 675 | 3.6% | $37,712 | 0.89 |
| Wholesale trade | 517 | 2.7% | $62,298 | 0.52 |
| Manufacturing | 482 | 2.6% | $35,363 | 0.23 |
| Management of companies | 311 | 1.6% | $76,417 | 0.73 |
| Finance and insurance | 296 | 1.6% | $82,578 | 0.29 |
| Educational services | 173 | 0.9% | $33,060 | 0.33 |
| Information | 157 | 0.8% | $75,349 | 0.33 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 63.7% |
| Public transit | 4.2% |
| Walk | 13.2% |
| Work from home | 10.1% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 6.5% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $30,065 |
| Income per person | $17,773 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,111 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 44.3% |
| Median home value | $411,100 |
| Homeowners | 26.2% |
| Poverty rate | 51.2% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 88.5 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $45,220 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.99%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 21.3 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 94.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 56.8% |
| Born abroad | 4.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 53.9% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0.6 | 33 | 86 |
| Feb | 2.2 | 36 | 84 |
| Mar | 6.6 | 44 | 96 |
| Apr | 12.0 | 54 | 110 |
| May | 16.7 | 62 | 117 |
| Jun | 21.0 | 70 | 114 |
| Jul | 22.7 | 73 | 129 |
| Aug | 22.2 | 72 | 120 |
| Sep | 18.8 | 66 | 113 |
| Oct | 12.7 | 55 | 97 |
| Nov | 6.7 | 44 | 94 |
| Dec | 2.7 | 37 | 107 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lenoir | NC | 23 mi | 18,299 | $49,910 | $664 |
| Morganton | NC | 33 mi | 17,646 | $51,355 | $944 |
| Elizabethton | TN | 33 mi | 14,374 | $46,975 | $740 |
| Hickory | NC | 38 mi | 44,258 | $64,576 | $1,063 |
| Bristol | TN | 39 mi | 27,636 | $58,162 | $842 |
| Bristol | VA | 39 mi | 16,849 | $50,404 | $801 |
| Johnson City | TN | 41 mi | 72,222 | $57,254 | $1,023 |
| Newton | NC | 45 mi | 13,333 | $62,015 | $1,091 |
| Kingsport | TN | 53 mi | 56,262 | $52,490 | $907 |
| Statesville | NC | 53 mi | 29,894 | $52,880 | $1,000 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
20,032 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,111 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 44.3% of the median household income.
$30,065 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.6% (BLS county, Watauga County (latest month 2026M09)).
North Carolina. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.