The Town Files

Rhodhiss, North Carolina

Town in Burke County · population 997 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties

Map: where Rhodhiss is in North CarolinaRhodhiss
Median home
$134,700
Household income
$63,125
Jan low / Jul high
30° / 87°
Snow a year
0 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
18
Median age
30.3

Rhodhiss is a town of 997 people in Burke County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $134,700, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks more walkable than 81% of North Carolina towns, easier by car than 79% of North Carolina towns, better for families than 70% of North Carolina towns.

Rhodhiss in our rankings:

How Rhodhiss 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.

Rhodhiss lifestyle rankings vs other North Carolina townsRetirement31st pctFamilies70th pctQuiet53rd pctWalkability81st pctFirst-time buyers51st pctYoung professionals14th pctVibrancy56th pctHip & trendy22nd pctCollege town34th pctUpscale33rd pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit63rd pctDriving79th 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 Rhodhiss is worth $134,700, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $63,125, which is more affordable than 97% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $846 a month. 73.0% of households own their home.

Rhodhiss vs Burke County vs typical North Carolina townRhodhissBurke CountyTypical North Carolina townHome value$134,700$185,400$228,900Household income$63,125$58,592$60,458Monthly rent$846$884$969
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of North Carolina towns with 500+ people.
HousingRhodhissTypical North Carolina town
Median home value$134,700$228,900
Median rent$846$969
Median household income$63,125$60,458
Home value ÷ income2.1×3.7×
Homeownership73.0%69.5%
Median year built19761984
Seasonal / vacation homes2.0%—

Who lives in Rhodhiss

PeopleRhodhissTypical North Carolina town
Median age30.341.1
Age 65 and over9.7%19.0%
Under 1837.3%—
Bachelor's degree or higher8.6%24.5%
Below the poverty line10.4%14.3%
Veterans2.5%—
Born outside the U.S.2.1%—
Work from home0.6%9.8%
Average commute20.4 min24.6 min
Homes with broadband89.5%89.5%

Weather in Rhodhiss

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.

Rhodhiss 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 (3.2 mi away); snow from Rhodhiss Hydro Plt (0.7 mi).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rhodhiss since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 7, 1998 about 7.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 23, 2017.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Rhodhiss by decade11950s01960s31970s11980s31990s02000s102010s02020s
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 73 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on June 3, 1998.

Severe weather in Burke County since 1996

Storm events in Burke County since 1996 by typeHail205Flood29Drought34High Wind21Ice Storm10Lightning19Heavy Snow24Flash Flood45
NOAA Storm Events Database, Burke County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996).

Burke County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.

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
March 3, 2021Severe StormDR-4588: Tropical Storm Eta

Jobs and pay in Burke County

Burke County had 29,553 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,986 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Rhodhiss itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.

Largest industries in Burke CountyManufacturing7,515 jobs · $53,751Health care & social assistan…4,591 jobs · $64,669Retail3,006 jobs · $31,700Hotels & restaurants2,899 jobs · $20,003Administrative & support1,355 jobs · $35,463Construction810 jobs · $54,539
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Burke County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%16%2000200420082012201620202023Burke 3.3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Rhodhiss

Rhodhiss questions

Is Rhodhiss, North Carolina a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rhodhiss scores better for retirees than 31% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 53%. 9.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.3).

How much does a house cost in Rhodhiss?

The median owner-occupied home in Rhodhiss is valued at $134,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,125, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $846 a month.

What is the weather like in Rhodhiss?

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 Rhodhiss get tornadoes?

18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rhodhiss since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 7, 1998. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Rhodhiss's Census boundary (GEOID 3756240). 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.