Is Beech Mountain, NC a Good Place to Live?
Beech Mountain is a small town of 798 in North Carolina, with a median household income of $85,250 and a 9.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 97 (US average = 100), which is 3% below the national average.
Strengths: Beech Mountain stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Beech Mountain is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Beech Mountain city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 97.3Beech Mountain's overall cost of living index is 97.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Beech Mountain costs roughly 3% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Beech Mountain, NC | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $343,900 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,088 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 88.3% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $85,250 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeBeech Mountain's violent crime rate is 152.4 per 100,000 residents — 60% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Beech Mountain is served primarily by Avery County Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Beech Mountain, NC | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Avery County Schools | — |
| Elementary Schools | 5 | — |
| Middle Schools | 2 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 13.9:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 49.4% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 96.8% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Beech Mountain sees average highs of 34.8°F in January and 68.9°F in July, with 57.8 inches of annual precipitation and 66.5 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Beech Mountain, NC |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 34.8°F |
| Average High — July | 68.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 66.5" |
Demographics
| Metric | Beech Mountain, NC | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 798 | — |
| Median Age | 61.5 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 9.1% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 25.4 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 92.5% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.4% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.4% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.1% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 12.4% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 41.9% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Beech Mountain
Beech Mountain, NC is covered by 1 ZIP code: