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RELOCATING TO MOUNT AIRY, NC
Although known for its Andy Griffith fame, the town is a community that takes business, art, recreation, education, and fun seriously. Mount Airy, located in northwest North Carolina, has a lot to attract retirees, families, and new residents. It’s wonderfully situated for those looking to live in a small-town environment, away from the congestion and hustle of city life.
Away From Urban Sprawl
Many newcomers love the idea of living in a place where getting to know your neighbors is a must and where living near the Blue Ridge Parkway is a slice of heaven. Mount Airy residents enjoy four distinct seasons, marked by warm summers and mild winters. The average annual temperature is 61 degrees F. The annual winter temperature is 46 degrees F, while the average summer temperature is 76 degrees F. The average annual rainfall is 45.5 inches, and the average annual snowfall is 10.5 inches, making Mount Airy the essential North Carolina retirement, second-home, or relocation destination.
Cultural Amenities
There’s no lack of performing art venues in Mount Airy. Mount Airy and surrounding Surry County are a hotbed for bluegrass and old-time music, from the annual Mount Airy Fiddlers’ Convention to the weekly jam sessions in the downtown theatre. The Surry Arts Council hosts community theater productions with an outdoor concert series in the outdoor amphitheater each summer. The Merry-Go-Round, the nation’s second-longest running living radio show, broadcasts live bluegrass and old-time music every Saturday in the downtown theatre.
Cost of Living
As in many small North Carolina retirement towns, the cost of living in Mount Airy is very moderate, with home prices ranging from $90 to $125 a square foot and taxes on a $200,000 home costing less than $3,000 a year.
Weather
Average Annual Temperature: 61º F
Average Winter Temperature: 46º F
Average Summer Temperature: 76º F
Average annual rainfall: 45.5 inches
Average annual snowfall: 10.5 inches
Education
Consistently, the Mount Airy City Schools is a top-performing school system in North Carolina. The school system’s SAT critical reading and math scores are above the state and national average, and the school is in the top 5% of school districts in North Carolina with the highest number of students proficient in EOGs and EOCs. The school district is ranked number 9 among 115 districts in the state in the percentage of students graduating from high school in 4 years or less.
Recreation
Mount Airy is the North Carolina retirement and relocation hotbed for those looking for recreation. The town is less than 45 minutes from three state parks and a 15-minute drive from the Blue Ridge Parkway. The city is a walkable town with the Emily B. Taylor and Ararat River greenways along with scenic bikeways and mountain biking trails. Mount Airy is within a 30-minute drive from seven golf courses, including Primland Golf and Spa Resort and Cross Creek Country Club, a mountain lodge and golf course that sits on 12,000 acres high in the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains.