RANK #245 / 1001 NAT · #15 / 51 NC · POP 146,348
1YR FORECAST: +1.9%
5YR OUTLOOK: +32%
Randolph County, North Carolina, is home to the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, one of the nation's largest natural habitat zoos, attracting numerous visitors annually. Located in the Piedmont region of central North Carolina, the county seat of Asheboro is approximately 70 miles from both Raleigh and Charlotte. The area features gently rolling hills, river valleys, and woodlands, with parts of the Uwharrie National Forest offering extensive outdoor recreation opportunities like hiking, fishing, and birdwatching. Commuting to nearby cities like Greensboro and High Point is common for many residents.
Life in Randolph County offers a blend of small-town living and rural landscapes. The public school system is considered above average, with various elementary, middle, and high schools serving the community. Recent economic developments show a shift from traditional textile and furniture manufacturing towards new sectors such as automotive manufacturing, food processing, and distribution. Major investments in advanced manufacturing are creating new job opportunities and diversifying the local industrial base. The county also has local transportation services like Go Randolph, an on-demand rideshare program, to help residents with daily travel.
Randolph County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices +3.7% YoY, population +0.7%, wages +3.1%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Below-average climate & terrain
Above national median (15x)
Housing looks overvalued at 11.9x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Toyota Battery Manufacturing Plant
Toyota
|
$13,900M | Under Construction |
|
Greensboro-Randolph Megasite Development & Transportation Improvements
Ames Construction
|
$500M | Under Construction |
|
Axium Packaging Manufacturing Facility
Axium Packaging
|
$32M | Planned |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
With a Boom Town Index score of 75/100, Randolph County sits in the upper half of all 1001 ranked counties. Employment is expanding at +3.1%, and median household income stands at $61,022 — indicators that suggest solid fundamentals even if it's not among the fastest-growing counties in NC.
Housing in Randolph County is roughly in line with national affordability norms. The median home costs $197,100 and the income-to-home-value ratio sits at 0.31, with rents averaging $887/month. Not a bargain, but not a stretch for most local earners either.
Randolph County is growing on multiple fronts. Population is up +0.7% year-over-year while employers added jobs at a +3.1% clip — and home values reflect that momentum, rising +3.7% over the past 12 months.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 2.63% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Randolph County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.