The Town FilesDrexel, North Carolina
Town in Burke County · population 1,760 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $214,400
- Household income
- $61,992
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 47.2
Drexel is a town of 1,760 people in Burke County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $214,400, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks more of a college town than 95% of North Carolina towns, better for first-time buyers than 92% of North Carolina towns, better for families than 91% of North Carolina towns.
How Drexel ranks
Percentile among North Carolina towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Carolina towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Drexel is worth $214,400, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $61,992, which is more affordable than 62% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $590 a month. 72.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Drexel | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $214,400 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $590 | $969 |
| Median household income | $61,992 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 72.0% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Drexel
| People | Drexel | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.2 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.0% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.2% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.7% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 3.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.0% | — |
| Work from home | 5.7% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 20.2 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.2% | 89.5% |
Weather in Drexel
July highs average 87.7°F and January lows 27.9°F. About 51.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.5 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 35 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 91 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Drexel since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on January 11, 2012 about 9.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 8, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 72 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 9, 1997.
Severe weather in Burke County since 1996
Burke County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3637: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 28, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4827: Tropical Storm Helene |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3617: Hurricane Helene |
| October 1, 2022 | Hurricane | EM-3586: Hurricane Ian |
| March 3, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4588: Tropical Storm Eta |
Jobs and pay in Burke County
Burke County had 29,553 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,986 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Drexel itself the ACS puts it at 13.7%.
Public schools in Drexel
1 public school with 102 students, about 11.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hallyburton Academy | 6-12 | 102 | 11.3 |
Towns near Drexel
- Valdese, NC2.0 mi · 4,689 people · home $209,800
- Rutherford College, NC4.6 mi · 1,226 people · home $185,600
- Morganton, NC5.2 mi · 17,474 people · home $221,700
- Connelly Springs, NC6.3 mi · 1,529 people · home $206,500
- Salem, NC6.5 mi · 2,356 people · home $159,100
- Gamewell, NC7.4 mi · 3,702 people · home $170,100
- Cajah's Mountain, NC7.7 mi · 2,722 people · home $201,800
- Sawmills, NC8.5 mi · 5,020 people · home $219,600
Drexel questions
Is Drexel, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Drexel scores better for retirees than 79% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 83%. 22.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.2).
How much does a house cost in Drexel?
The median owner-occupied home in Drexel is valued at $214,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,992, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $590 a month.
What is the weather like in Drexel?
July highs average 87.7°F and January lows 27.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.5 inches of precipitation a year and 4.5 inches of snow.
Does Drexel get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Drexel since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on January 11, 2012. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)