Star water tower, 2007
Star’s story
139 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1887Star is settled
StarNC
A town of 824, settled in 1887.
Population
824
2025 Census estimate · +1% since 2020
Typical home
$145K
+1.3% in a year
Household income
$38K
median
Median age
35.8
years
Jobs based here
302
Balanced
Is Star a good place to live?
Star Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places. Star has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
824 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Star: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Star, and how to reach them.
PowerRandolph Electric Member16.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of Star water system3 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers94% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Star’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn North Carolina you can register online until 25 days before Election Day, in person with same-day registration during the early voting period, or by mail (postmarked 25 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereMontgomery County Board of ElectionsMontgomery County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2025
ZIP code2735627356 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Star.
Housing
Compared with most of North Carolina and the rest of the country, the median rent in Star is lower
Star: 47% of households own their home, where North Carolina’s towns sit at 67% and U.S. towns at 73%. The typical Star home is worth about $145,000, up 1.3% in a year, 56% below the North Carolina typical home.
$145KZillow home value
| Star | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 47% | 67% | 73% |
| Median rent | $642 a month | $1,085 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Star$145K
North Carolina$332K
+1.3%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Schools
The schools Star’s kids attend
The Montgomery County Schools runs its public schools. Its one school is below. Enrollment at Star’s public school: 272 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Star ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 272 | C |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
Star has a low natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
For Star, the natural-hazard score from FEMA is 32 of 100. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 39% come from inland flooding and 23% from hurricanes. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Star after 3 declared disasters, most recently in 2018.
32risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesTornadoes
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
The climate in Star brings mild winters and hot summers
Star’s peak summer temperature stands at 90°F.
3″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter33–54°
Spring48–72°
Summer67–88°
Fall50–72°
Nov 14
typical first frost
Mar 25
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Most people working in Star commute elsewhere
Only 3% of working residents stay in Star for work; the rest commute out. Star: 23% of residents live below the poverty line, against 13% in North Carolina’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Also worth knowing: in Star, the average commute is 20 minutes. Since 2013, Star has added 109 jobs, to 302 in 2023.
3%work in town
| Star | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 23% | 13% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $38,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 3% | 6.8% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Star3%
Biscoe10%
Troy10%
Asheboro7%
Charlotte4%
21 mi
median commute distance
302
jobs based in Star
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Safety
Crime reported in Star
In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown. 27 crimes were reported in Star in 2025: 26 property and 1 violent.
Star is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
1
violent crimes reported in 2025
26
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Health
A larger share of adults 18 to 64 in Star have no health insurance than in the typical North Carolina or U.S. town
Nearly a fifth of adults report frequent physical distress in Star. Of 32 CDC measures, Star beats the North Carolina average on 1 and trails it on 21.
| Star | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 19% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 13% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 13% | 14% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 10% | 8.1% |
32 measures vs. North Carolina
1 better10 too close to call21 worse
| What stands out | Star | NC |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 79.6% | 76.7% |
| More adults with COPD | 13.4% | 7.1% |
Firsthealth Montgomery Memorial Hospital
6.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Nearby attractions
All 39 attractions →North Carolina Zoo and 5 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Star. Close and well known come first.
16 mi Zoo & aquariumNorth Carolina Zoo700K visitors a year
14 mi National forestUwharrie National Forest
17 mi State parkMorrow Mountain19 mi MuseumNorth Carolina Aviation Museum
29 mi MuseumWeymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve
40 mi MuseumOld Davidson County CourthouseSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
North Carolina Zoo: Diane Villa, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Uwharrie National Forest: U.S. Forest Service, Public domain · Morrow Mountain: Hathcock at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0 · Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve: Wyatt Greene, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Old Davidson County Courthouse: Dennis Brown (Dennis Brown), CC BY-SA 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Star
18pages on Star
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Star
About 8 of every 100 Star residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across North Carolina.
About Star
Town in North Carolina, United States
Star is a town in Montgomery County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 806 at the 2020 census, down from 876 in 2010.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1890
- Area
- 1.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 643 ft
- ZIP code
- 27356
- Area code
- 910
Questions about Star
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Star, NC a good place to live?
Star has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.