The Town Files

Long View, North Carolina

Town in Catawba County · population 5,088 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties

Map: where Long View is in North CarolinaLong View
Median home
$157,300
Household income
$46,739
Jan low / Jul high
30° / 87°
Snow a year
0 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
14
Median age
43.5

Long View is a town of 5,088 people in Catawba County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $157,300, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks more walkable than 95% of North Carolina towns, more vibrant than 92% of North Carolina towns, better transit than 80% of North Carolina towns.

Long View in our rankings:

How Long View 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.

Long View lifestyle rankings vs other North Carolina townsRetirement32nd pctFamilies30th pctQuiet27th pctWalkability95th pctFirst-time buyers49th pctYoung professionals54th pctVibrancy92nd pctHip & trendy68th pctCollege town30th pctUpscale28th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit80th pctDriving28th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Long View is worth $157,300, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $46,739, which is more affordable than 66% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $794 a month. 53.1% of households own their home.

Long View vs Catawba County vs typical North Carolina townLong ViewCatawba CountyTypical North Carolina townHome value$157,300$241,600$228,900Household income$46,739$67,864$60,458Monthly rent$794$965$969
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of North Carolina towns with 500+ people.
HousingLong ViewTypical North Carolina town
Median home value$157,300$228,900
Median rent$794$969
Median household income$46,739$60,458
Home value ÷ income3.4×3.7×
Homeownership53.1%69.5%
Median year built19701984
Seasonal / vacation homes0.4%—

Who lives in Long View

PeopleLong ViewTypical North Carolina town
Median age43.541.1
Age 65 and over17.6%19.0%
Under 1815.9%—
Bachelor's degree or higher7.9%24.5%
Below the poverty line11.3%14.3%
Veterans6.5%—
Born outside the U.S.8.2%—
Work from home3.4%9.8%
Average commute23.8 min24.6 min
Homes with broadband89.0%89.5%

Weather in Long View

July highs average 87.4°F and January lows 30.2°F. About 47.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.3 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 33 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 69 nights at or below freezing.

Long View monthly temperatures and precipitation30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing49°30°Jan53°33°Feb61°40°Mar70°48°Apr77°56°May84°64°Jun87°68°Jul86°67°Aug80°61°Sep70°49°Oct60°39°Nov52°33°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.83.24.14.13.94.34.34.63.93.53.63.90.3
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Hickory Faa Ap station (1.4 mi away); snow from Rhodhiss Hydro Plt (4.6 mi).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Long View since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 5, 1989 about 3.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 23, 2017.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Long View by decade11950s01960s11970s11980s21990s02000s92010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 87 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on June 3, 1998.

Severe weather in Catawba County since 1996

Storm events in Catawba County since 1996 by typeHail147Drought37Tornado10High Wind11Ice Storm10Lightning21Heavy Snow23Flash Flood33
NOAA Storm Events Database, Catawba County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 2 deaths recorded.

Catawba County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
January 24, 2026Winter StormEM-3637: Severe Winter Storm
September 28, 2024Tropical StormDR-4827: Tropical Storm Helene
September 26, 2024Tropical StormEM-3617: Hurricane Helene
October 1, 2022HurricaneEM-3586: Hurricane Ian
August 2, 2020HurricaneEM-3534: Hurricane Isaias

Jobs and pay in Catawba County

Catawba County had 89,388 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,761 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Long View itself the ACS puts it at 2.5%.

Largest industries in Catawba CountyManufacturing23,353 jobs · $61,362Retail10,146 jobs · $36,482Health care & social assistan…9,092 jobs · $60,432Hotels & restaurants7,626 jobs · $21,494Transportation & warehousing5,208 jobs · $55,847Administrative & support4,774 jobs · $39,767
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Catawba County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%16%2000200420082012201620202023Catawba 3.3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Long View

Long View questions

Is Long View, North Carolina a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Long View scores better for retirees than 32% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 27%. 17.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.5).

How much does a house cost in Long View?

The median owner-occupied home in Long View is valued at $157,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $46,739, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $794 a month.

What is the weather like in Long View?

July highs average 87.4°F and January lows 30.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.3 inches of snow.

Does Long View get tornadoes?

14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Long View since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 5, 1989. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Long View's Census boundary (GEOID 3739280). Comparisons use the median of North Carolina towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.