Ruth is a small town of 621 in North Carolina, with a median household income of $56,875
and a 2.3% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 88 (US average = 100), which is
12% below the national average.
Strengths:
Ruth stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Ruth is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Ruth 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: 88.4
Ruth's overall cost of living index is 88.4,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Ruth costs roughly 12% less than the average American city.
Metric
Ruth, NC
National Avg
Median Home Value
$119,800
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$683
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
83.0%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$56,875
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Ruth's violent crime rate is 268.5 per 100,000 residents
— 29% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
268.5 /100k
Property Crime
1576.9 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Ruth, NC
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
14.9%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
82.0%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Ruth sees average highs of 51.5°F in January
and 88.9°F in July,
with 52.1 inches of annual precipitation
and 4.5 inches of snow per year.
Ruth's cost of living index is 88, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Ruth roughly 12% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $119,800 and median rent is $683/month.
Ruth's violent crime rate is 268.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1576.9 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Ruth, NC has a population of 621, a median household income of $56,875, and an unemployment rate of 2.3%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Ruth averages 51.5°F in January and 88.9°F in July. Annual rainfall is 52.1 inches
with about 4.5 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Ruth, North Carolina is 621 with a median age of 41.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Ruth: cost of living index 88 (100 = US average), median home $119,800, median household income $56,875, crime index 72 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Ruth side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
