The Town FilesFlat Rock, North Carolina
Community in Surry County · population 1,326 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $95,400
- Household income
- $42,018
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 8 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 37.8
Flat Rock is a community of 1,326 people in Surry County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $95,400, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900).
How Flat Rock 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 Flat Rock is worth $95,400, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $42,018, which is more affordable than 94% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $771 a month. 75.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Flat Rock | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $95,400 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $771 | $969 |
| Median household income | $42,018 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 75.2% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.5% | — |
Who lives in Flat Rock
| People | Flat Rock | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.8 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.7% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 17.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.6% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.9% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 3.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 5.2% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 17.5 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 73.1% | 89.5% |
Weather in Flat Rock
July highs average 86.3°F and January lows 24.8°F. About 50.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 8.2 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 111 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Flat Rock since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on February 24, 2016 about 7.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 24, 2016.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 52 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 5, 1985.
Severe weather in Surry County since 1996
Surry County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| 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 |
| August 6, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3608: Tropical Storm Debby |
| October 1, 2022 | Hurricane | EM-3586: Hurricane Ian |
Jobs and pay in Surry County
Surry County had 29,147 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,330 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Flat Rock itself the ACS puts it at 3.9%.
Towns near Flat Rock
- Mount Airy, NC1.8 mi · 10,676 people · home $181,900
- Toast, NC3.1 mi · 1,423 people · home $104,800
- White Plains, NC5.8 mi · 1,025 people · home $231,700
- Cana, VA6.9 mi · 1,243 people · home $129,700
- Pilot Mountain, NC10.5 mi · 1,440 people · home $203,600
- Dobson, NC11.2 mi · 1,462 people · home $173,900
- Pinnacle, NC15.6 mi · 786 people · home —
- Hillsville, VA19.5 mi · 2,884 people · home $159,000
Flat Rock questions
Is Flat Rock, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Flat Rock scores better for retirees than 6% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 47%. 19.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.8).
How much does a house cost in Flat Rock?
The median owner-occupied home in Flat Rock is valued at $95,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $42,018, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $771 a month.
What is the weather like in Flat Rock?
July highs average 86.3°F and January lows 24.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.5 inches of precipitation a year and 8.2 inches of snow.
Does Flat Rock get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Flat Rock since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on February 24, 2016. 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)