The Town Files

Toast, North Carolina

Community in Surry County · population 1,423 (2020 Census)

Map: where Toast is in North CarolinaToast
Median home
$104,800
Household income
$35,111
Jan low / Jul high
25° / 86°
Snow a year
8 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
6
Median age
37.7

Toast is a community of 1,423 people in Surry County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $104,800, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks easier by car than 95% of North Carolina towns, more vibrant than 94% of North Carolina towns, more walkable than 89% of North Carolina towns.

How Toast 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.

Toast lifestyle rankings vs other North Carolina townsRetirement56th pctFamilies17th pctQuiet63rd pctWalkability89th pctFirst-time buyers46th pctYoung professionals17th pctVibrancy94th pctHip & trendy48th pctCollege town10th pctUpscale2nd pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving95th 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 Toast is worth $104,800, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $35,111, which is more affordable than 80% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $847 a month. 66.3% of households own their home.

Toast vs Surry County vs typical North Carolina townToastSurry CountyTypical North Carolina townHome value$104,800$177,600$228,900Household income$35,111$55,656$60,458Monthly rent$847$761$969
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of North Carolina towns with 500+ people.
HousingToastTypical North Carolina town
Median home value$104,800$228,900
Median rent$847$969
Median household income$35,111$60,458
Home value ÷ income3.0×3.7×
Homeownership66.3%69.5%
Median year built19731984
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Toast

PeopleToastTypical North Carolina town
Median age37.741.1
Age 65 and over16.3%19.0%
Under 1821.6%—
Bachelor's degree or higher6.7%24.5%
Below the poverty line14.0%14.3%
Veterans7.6%—
Born outside the U.S.2.1%—
Work from home21.2%9.8%
Average commute18.7 min24.6 min
Homes with broadband87.0%89.5%

Weather in Toast

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.

Toast monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing47°25°Jan51°27°Feb58°33°Mar69°41°Apr76°50°May83°59°Jun86°63°Jul85°62°Aug79°56°Sep70°43°Oct59°33°Nov50°28°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue4.03.13.12.24.21.24.34.55.05.24.74.33.53.44.21.7
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Mt Airy 2 W station (0.9 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Toast since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on April 5, 2011 about 7.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 5, 2011.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Toast by decade01950s01960s11970s11980s21990s02000s22010s02020s
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 57 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 5, 1985.

Severe weather in Surry County since 1996

Storm events in Surry County since 1996 by typeHail123Flood36Drought24High Wind41Lightning17Heavy Rain19Heavy Snow17Flash Flood63
NOAA Storm Events Database, Surry County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 7 deaths recorded.

Surry County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
January 24, 2026Winter StormEM-3637: Severe Winter Storm
September 28, 2024Tropical StormDR-4827: Tropical Storm Helene
September 26, 2024Tropical StormEM-3617: Hurricane Helene
August 6, 2024Tropical StormEM-3608: Tropical Storm Debby
October 1, 2022HurricaneEM-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 Toast itself the ACS puts it at 1.6%.

Largest industries in Surry CountyRetail4,130 jobs · $34,206Manufacturing4,015 jobs · $51,998Construction3,256 jobs · $71,490Hotels & restaurants2,772 jobs · $19,953Transportation & warehousing1,387 jobs · $56,455Administrative & support1,120 jobs · $40,099
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Surry County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%2000200420082012201620202023Surry 3.2%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Toast

Toast questions

Is Toast, North Carolina a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Toast scores better for retirees than 56% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 63%. 16.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.7).

How much does a house cost in Toast?

The median owner-occupied home in Toast is valued at $104,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $35,111, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $847 a month.

What is the weather like in Toast?

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 Toast get tornadoes?

6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Toast since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on April 5, 2011. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Toast's Census boundary (GEOID 3767700). 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.