Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 345, settled in 1906.
36% of residents live below the poverty line in Ruth, against 13% in North Carolina’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Ruth has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Ruth beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 205 in 1910, a peak of 529 in 1960, 347 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1966 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Ruth, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Ruth.
Most working residents leave Ruth for work: only 3% work in town. At $51,000, Ruth’s median household income is below both the North Carolina town median ($69,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000). Since 2013, Ruth has added 306 jobs, to 371 in 2023.
| Ruth | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $51,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.9% | 6.8% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The typical Ruth home is worth about $185,000, down 1.9% in a year, 44% below the North Carolina typical home.
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 78% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Ruth has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Ruth’s July high is 90°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
22% of adults smoke cigarettes in Ruth. Ruth beats the North Carolina average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 21. 34% of adults get no exercise outside work in Ruth.
| Ruth | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 14% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 13% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 19% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 12% |
| What stands out | Ruth | NC |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 12.9% | 7.1% |
| More smokers | 22.4% | 13.5% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 24.3% | 15.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
1 within 15 miles of the center of Ruth
About 6 of every 100 Ruth residents are enrolled in college, about the same as North Carolina.
Where Ruth’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Town in North Carolina, United States
Ruth is a town in Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 347 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Ruth has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.