The Town FilesEllenboro, North Carolina
Town in Rutherford County · population 723 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $164,400
- Household income
- $49,769
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 27.5
Ellenboro is a town of 723 people in Rutherford County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $164,400, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks quieter than 79% of North Carolina towns, better for families than 78% of North Carolina towns, more of a college town than 74% of North Carolina towns.
How Ellenboro 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 Ellenboro is worth $164,400, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $49,769, which is more affordable than 69% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $711 a month. 65.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ellenboro | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $164,400 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $711 | $969 |
| Median household income | $49,769 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 65.4% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Ellenboro
| People | Ellenboro | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 27.5 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.5% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 34.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.5% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.3% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 3.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 2.8% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 23.6 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.0% | 89.5% |
Weather in Ellenboro
July highs average 90.6°F and January lows 26.9°F. About 50.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.7 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 43 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 88 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ellenboro since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 5, 1989 about 6.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 8, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 32 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 6, 2022.
Severe weather in Rutherford County since 1996
Rutherford County has been included in 22 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 |
| August 2, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3534: Hurricane Isaias |
Jobs and pay in Rutherford County
Rutherford County had 17,994 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,125 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in Ellenboro itself the ACS puts it at 7.3%.
Public schools in Ellenboro
1 public school with 558 students, about 15.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ellenboro Elementary School | PK-5 | 558 | 15.1 |
Towns near Ellenboro
- Caroleen, NC3.8 mi · 560 people · home $137,500
- Cliffside, NC5.7 mi · 530 people · home —
- Forest City, NC6.2 mi · 7,377 people · home $160,800
- Boiling Springs, NC7.7 mi · 4,615 people · home $265,400
- Kingstown, NC8.2 mi · 656 people · home $92,400
- Polkville, NC8.9 mi · 516 people · home $179,500
- Spindale, NC9.3 mi · 4,225 people · home $167,400
- Rutherfordton, NC11.5 mi · 3,640 people · home $288,400
Ellenboro questions
Is Ellenboro, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ellenboro scores better for retirees than 43% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 79%. 13.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 27.5).
How much does a house cost in Ellenboro?
The median owner-occupied home in Ellenboro is valued at $164,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $49,769, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $711 a month.
What is the weather like in Ellenboro?
July highs average 90.6°F and January lows 26.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.4 inches of precipitation a year and 3.7 inches of snow.
Does Ellenboro get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ellenboro since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 5, 1989. 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)