Granite Falls (population 4,800) is situated along two
lakes in the Catawba River chain in western North
Carolina and has an older demographic, with 21% of the citizens age 45
to 64 and 15% age 65 and better. It is a tranquil
place, perhaps even a little dull, but it also has quite a bit to offer
retirees seeking a small, safe, southeastern town with a relatively mild
climate. The cost of living is nearly 20% below the national
average, and the median home price is $135,000, significantly below the
national median and below the median price for homes in the Southeast.
This area used to be a manufacturing center, but those
jobs have disappeared, and for a few years Granite Falls suffered
economically. The unemployment rate is still above the national average,
but in 2008 Wal-Mart opened a Super Center, employing 350 people, and
that has sparked a bit of new business activity. To say the town
is booming would be incorrect, but it is not losing population and
continues to attract retirees.
Granite Falls just recently purchased 72 acres - soon
to be Lakeside Park - along Lake Rhodhiss to provide more recreational
opportunities for its citizens, and cycling, boating and golf are all
close at hand. The Caldwell Arts Council and Foothills
Performing Arts are two local groups involved in arts and cultural
programming, which include Art in the Park and the annual Christmas
parade. Shopping and dining are limited, but the pleasant city of
Hickory (population 360,000 in metro area) is just 6 miles away and has much of what Granite
Falls does not (a university, an airport, several theaters, extensive
dining options, museums, etc.). Hickory is also a furniture
manufacturing center and a great place to buy that new dining room set.
The crime level in Granite Falls is slightly below the
national average, and the climate is seasonal, with summer temperatures
in the 80s and 90s (humidity averages 70%) and winter temperatures in
the 30s, 40s and low 50s. Precipitation averages 4 to 5 inches per
month, and snow does occasionally fall.
Granite Falls does not have its own hospital, but it
does have a medical center that provides urgent care, and three
hospitals are within 12 miles of downtown. No senior center
is in Granite Falls, either, but the Caldwell Senior Center is open to
all county residents and is 5 miles away in Lenoir. High
speed internet is available but often dependent on one's location within
town. There is no local bus system.
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Recommended
as a Retirement Spot? |
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X |
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Yes |
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X
X
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Off the beaten path and not a
retirement spot for anyone seeking lots of cultural
amenities, activities, shopping or fine dining, but it
is appealing for its affordability, slow pace, nearby water
recreation, old fashioned values, four-season climate and
average crime rate. |
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