The Town FilesMontreat, North Carolina
Town in Buncombe County · population 901 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $606,400
- Household income
- $115,568
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 19.9
Montreat is a town of 901 people in Buncombe County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $606,400, above the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks more of a college town than 97% of North Carolina towns, better for a vacation home than 97% of North Carolina towns, better for cycling than 96% of North Carolina towns.
How Montreat 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 Montreat is worth $606,400, above the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 5.2 times the median household income of $115,568, which is more affordable than 14% of North Carolina towns. 100.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Montreat | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $606,400 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | — | $969 |
| Median household income | $115,568 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.2× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 100.0% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 91.8% | — |
Who lives in Montreat
| People | Montreat | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 19.9 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 2.4% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 7.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 91.5% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 0.0% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 1.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 13.9% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 13.2 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 100.0% | 89.5% |
Weather in Montreat
July highs average 83.5°F and January lows 28.2°F. About 53.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.1 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 64 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Montreat since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 6, 1977 about 9.2 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 39 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 1, 2023.
Severe weather in Buncombe County since 1996
Buncombe County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, 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 |
| October 1, 2022 | Hurricane | EM-3586: Hurricane Ian |
| September 8, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4617: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred |
Jobs and pay in Buncombe County
Buncombe County had 136,495 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,785 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Montreat itself the ACS puts it at 9.6%.
Towns near Montreat
- Black Mountain, NC2.7 mi · 8,426 people · home $358,900
- Swannanoa, NC5.9 mi · 5,021 people · home $287,500
- Old Fort, NC6.9 mi · 811 people · home $135,900
- Fairview, NC10.4 mi · 2,771 people · home $439,600
- Barnardsville, NC12.7 mi · 559 people · home $153,000
- Weaverville, NC14.8 mi · 4,567 people · home $463,700
- Lake Lure, NC14.8 mi · 1,365 people · home $627,000
- Asheville, NC15.2 mi · 94,589 people · home $440,000
Montreat questions
Is Montreat, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Montreat scores better for retirees than 95% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 33%. 2.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 19.9).
How much does a house cost in Montreat?
The median owner-occupied home in Montreat is valued at $606,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $115,568, so homes cost about 5.2 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Montreat?
July highs average 83.5°F and January lows 28.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.8 inches of precipitation a year and 2.1 inches of snow.
Does Montreat get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Montreat since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 6, 1977. 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)