McDowell County
City in North Carolina, United States
Overview
McDowell County, set in the hills of southern West Virginia, is a region defined by its coal heritage and scenic Appalachian landscapes. Small towns scattered across the county offer a quiet, rural experience, with a handful of historical sites and opportunities for outdoor adventure.
Geographic Context
Jurisdiction
United States
State
North Carolina
Population
19,111
Time Zone
America/New_York
Coordinates
35.68°, -82.05°
Key Metrics
Safety Score · estimate
60
Female Safety
55
LGBTQ+ Safety
40
Traffic Safety
70
Food Safety
90
Monthly Cost · estimate
$1,455
Local Cost
$860
Local Income
$2,200
Cashless
65
English
100
Temperature
14.2°C
Summer Avg
24.3°C
Winter Avg
3.9°C
Record High
40.6°C
Record Low
-16.7°C
Humidity
76%
Precipitation
1295 mm
City Vibrancy
1
Coworking
0
Cafes
0
Nightlife
0
Parks
1
Transport
0
Walk Score
0
Footways
—
Airport
MRN
Distance
42 km
Explore
Data sources
Source-backed data
World Air Quality Index - Latest available city-level air quality station measurement. Record updated 2025-12-05.
OpenStreetMap - Nearby amenities counted from OpenStreetMap-derived city extracts. Record updated 2025-12-06.
OpenStreetMap transport extract - Walkability, footway density, and airport access metrics derived from mapped transport features. Record updated 2025-12-05.
Estimates and unverified origins
Oyster List climate data - Climate origins are unverified. Available methods include historical APIs and AI estimates; stored rows do not identify the original dataset, reference period, or model for each value. Treat these summaries as estimates until independently verified. Record updated 2026-03-22.
Oyster List city price estimates - Price origins are unverified. Available generation methods include AI estimates; stored records do not identify a survey, observation period, or model for each price. Record updated 2026-01-14.
Oyster List AI-assisted estimates - Safety, lifestyle, income, and practical scores include model-assisted estimates. Stored records do not identify supporting observations for each score. Model-reported confidence: 55/100; this is not a measured accuracy score. Model: derived+gpt-4.1. Record updated 2026-03-26.