The Town FilesMount Gilead, North Carolina
Town in Montgomery County · population 1,171 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $157,300
- Household income
- $58,885
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 43.5
Mount Gilead is a town of 1,171 people in Montgomery County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $157,300, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks quieter than 96% of North Carolina towns, easier by car than 95% of North Carolina towns, better for a vacation home than 84% of North Carolina towns.
How Mount Gilead 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 Mount Gilead is worth $157,300, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $58,885, which is more affordable than 87% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $1,061 a month. 61.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mount Gilead | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $157,300 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $1,061 | $969 |
| Median household income | $58,885 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 61.2% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.2% | — |
Who lives in Mount Gilead
| People | Mount Gilead | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.5 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.8% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 10.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.3% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.8% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 4.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 20.9% | — |
| Work from home | 6.9% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 24.6 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.4% | 89.5% |
Weather in Mount Gilead
July highs average 88.6°F and January lows 30.9°F. About 48.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.3 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 39 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 66 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mount Gilead since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 27, 1982 about 6.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 31, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 3, 2003.
Severe weather in Montgomery County since 1996
Montgomery County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3637: Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| August 2, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3534: Hurricane Isaias |
Jobs and pay in Montgomery County
Montgomery County had 8,933 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,929 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Mount Gilead itself the ACS puts it at 7.3%.
Public schools in Mount Gilead
2 public schools with 547 students, about 17.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Middle | 6-8 | 341 | 17.1 |
| Mount Gilead Elementary | PK-5 | 206 | 18.7 |
Towns near Mount Gilead
- Norwood, NC6.1 mi · 2,367 people · home $185,200
- Troy, NC12.1 mi · 2,850 people · home $160,100
- Albemarle, NC14.4 mi · 16,432 people · home $204,800
- Badin, NC14.6 mi · 2,024 people · home $160,200
- Biscoe, NC16.1 mi · 1,848 people · home $128,700
- Candor, NC16.3 mi · 813 people · home $164,900
- Ellerbe, NC17.3 mi · 864 people · home $78,000
- Star, NC17.8 mi · 806 people · home $136,300
Mount Gilead questions
Is Mount Gilead, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mount Gilead scores better for retirees than 69% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 96%. 18.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.5).
How much does a house cost in Mount Gilead?
The median owner-occupied home in Mount Gilead is valued at $157,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $58,885, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $1,061 a month.
What is the weather like in Mount Gilead?
July highs average 88.6°F and January lows 30.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.3 inches of precipitation a year and 2.3 inches of snow.
Does Mount Gilead get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mount Gilead since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 27, 1982. 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)