The Town Files

Granite Quarry, North Carolina

Town in Rowan County · population 2,984 (2020 Census)

Map: where Granite Quarry is in North CarolinaGranite Quarry
Median home
$257,300
Household income
$57,981
Jan low / Jul high
29° / 88°
Snow a year
2 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
14
Median age
38.6

Granite Quarry is a town of 2,984 people in Rowan County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $257,300, above the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks more of a college town than 93% of North Carolina towns, more walkable than 85% of North Carolina towns, easier by car than 79% of North Carolina towns.

How Granite Quarry 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.

Granite Quarry lifestyle rankings vs other North Carolina townsRetirement2nd pctFamilies73rd pctQuiet10th pctWalkability85th pctFirst-time buyers77th pctYoung professionals42nd pctVibrancy68th pctHip & trendy35th pctCollege town93rd pctUpscale44th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit71st 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 Granite Quarry is worth $257,300, above the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 4.4 times the median household income of $57,981, which is more affordable than 27% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $1,099 a month. 79.0% of households own their home.

Granite Quarry vs Rowan County vs typical North Carolina townGranite QuarryRowan CountyTypical North Carolina townHome value$257,300$238,400$228,900Household income$57,981$65,725$60,458Monthly rent$1,099$1,013$969
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of North Carolina towns with 500+ people.
HousingGranite QuarryTypical North Carolina town
Median home value$257,300$228,900
Median rent$1,099$969
Median household income$57,981$60,458
Home value ÷ income4.4×3.7×
Homeownership79.0%69.5%
Median year built19821984
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Granite Quarry

PeopleGranite QuarryTypical North Carolina town
Median age38.641.1
Age 65 and over14.9%19.0%
Under 1818.3%—
Bachelor's degree or higher28.5%24.5%
Below the poverty line8.3%14.3%
Veterans5.8%—
Born outside the U.S.2.4%—
Work from home9.5%9.8%
Average commute39.1 min24.6 min
Homes with broadband85.6%89.5%

Weather in Granite Quarry

July highs average 88.2°F and January lows 29.0°F. About 43.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.4 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 37 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 71 nights at or below freezing.

Granite Quarry monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing50°29°Jan54°32°Feb62°38°Mar72°48°Apr78°56°May85°65°Jun88°69°Jul86°67°Aug81°61°Sep72°48°Oct61°37°Nov53°32°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.51.43.00.14.10.13.73.44.34.63.73.83.03.13.50.8
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Salisbury station (5.2 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Granite Quarry since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on February 6, 2020 about 8.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 7, 2023.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Granite Quarry by decade01950s21960s21970s11980s11990s22000s32010s32020s
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 41 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 4, 1985.

Severe weather in Rowan County since 1996

Storm events in Rowan County since 1996 by typeHail86Flood13Drought35Tornado8High Wind13Lightning13Heavy Snow18Flash Flood29
NOAA Storm Events Database, Rowan County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 5 deaths recorded.

Rowan County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, hurricane, snowstorm.

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 Rowan County

Rowan County had 50,595 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,503 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Granite Quarry itself the ACS puts it at 6.1%.

Largest industries in Rowan CountyManufacturing6,867 jobs · $70,236Retail6,331 jobs · $44,349Health care & social assistan…5,576 jobs · $51,571Hotels & restaurants4,474 jobs · $22,333Transportation & warehousing3,778 jobs · $67,538Construction3,142 jobs · $66,506
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Rowan County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%2000200420082012201620202023Rowan 3.4%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Granite Quarry

Granite Quarry questions

Is Granite Quarry, North Carolina a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Granite Quarry scores better for retirees than 2% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 10%. 14.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.6).

How much does a house cost in Granite Quarry?

The median owner-occupied home in Granite Quarry is valued at $257,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,981, so homes cost about 4.4 times income. Median rent is $1,099 a month.

What is the weather like in Granite Quarry?

July highs average 88.2°F and January lows 29.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.7 inches of precipitation a year and 2.4 inches of snow.

Does Granite Quarry get tornadoes?

14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Granite Quarry since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on February 6, 2020. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Granite Quarry's Census boundary (GEOID 3727440). 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.