ZIP Code 28607

Boone is a town in and the county seat of Watauga County, North Carolina, United States. The town is named for famous American pioneer and explorer Daniel Boone. Boone is the home of Appalachian State University and the headquarters for the disaster and medical relief organization Samaritan's Purse. Notable artists associated with Boone include the late Grammy Award-winning bluegrass guitar player Doc Watson, and the late guitarist Michael Houser, one of the founding members of and the lead guitarist for the band Widespread Panic, as well as Old Crow Medicine Show, The Blue Rags, and Eric Church. Boone has the highest elevation of any town of its size (over 10,000 population) east of the Mississippi River. It has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb), a rarity for the Southeastern United States, and straddles the boundary between USDA Plantiness and 7A hardiness zones 6B and 6B. The average daily temperature in January is 31.5 °F (0.3 °C), which gives Boone a winter climate more similar to coastal southern New England rather than the Southeast, where a subtropical climate is more common. It is the largest community and the economic hub of the seven-county region of Western North Carolina known as the High Country, with a population of 19,092 at the 2020 census. The Blair Farm, Daniel Boone Hotel, Jones House, John Smith Miller House, and US Post Office-Boone are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

History

Boone is the home of Appalachian State University, a constituent member of the University of North Carolina system. Notable artists associated with Boone include the late Grammy Award-winning bluegrass guitar player Doc Watson, and the late guitarist Michael Houser. The Junaluska community is home to one of the few majority-African American Mennonite Brethren congregations. The Blair Farm, Daniel Boone Hotel, Jones House, John Smith Miller House, and US Post Office-Boone are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. "Horn in the West" is a dramatization of the life and times of the early settlers of the mountain area. It features Daniel Boone as one of its characters, and has been performed in an outdoor amphitheater near the town every summer since 1952, except for when COVID-19 necessitated canceling the 2020 performances. The original actor in the role of "Daniel Boone" was Ned Austin. His "Hollywood Star" stands on a pedestal on King Street in downtown Boone. He was followed by Glenn Causey, who portrayed the rugged frontiersman for 41 years, and whose image is still seen in many of the depictions of Boone featured in the area today. The free black community has existed in the hills just north of Downtown Boone since before the Civil War. Although integration in the mid-20th century led to many businesses in the neighborhood closing in favor of their downtown counterparts, descendants of the original inhabitants still live in the community.

Geography and climate

Boone is located at 36°1241N 81°407W (36.211364, 81.668657) and has an elevation of 3,333 feet (1015.9 m) above sea level. Boone has the highest elevation of any town of its size (over 10,000 population) east of the Mississippi River. The elevation also results in enhanced precipitation, with 59.13 inches (1,500 mm) of average annual precipitation. The daily average temperature in January is 31.5 °F (0.3 °C), which gives Boone a winter climate more similar to coastal southern New England rather than the Southeast. Summers are warm, but far cooler and less humid than lower regions to the south and east. Boone typically receives on average nearly 25 inches (64 cm) of snowfall annually, far higher than the lowland areas in the rest of North Carolina. Blizzard-like conditions are not unusual during many winters. On January 21, 1985, the temperature fell to 24°F (31 °C) The July average temperature is 68.4 °F [20.2 °C] The July daily average temperatures in Boone are 68.3°C (20.4°F) and 68.5°F [21.2°F] The average July temperature in Boone is 67.4 degrees (15.7°C) and 67.7 degrees (16.7 °F) in Asheville, North Carolina, the state capital.

Demographics

As of the 2020 U.S. census, there were 19,092 people, 5,905 households, and 1,641 families residing in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 93.98% White, 3.42% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 1.19% Asian,0.05% Pacific Islander, and 0.60% from two or more races. About 9.2% of families and 37.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% under the age of 18 and 9.1% of those 65 and older. The median income for a family was $49,762, and the per capita income was $12,256. For every 100 females, there are 95.6 males. The town's population was 13,472 as of the census of 2000, with 5.8% under 18, 65.9% from 18 to 24, 12. 1% from 25 to 44, and 7.1 per cent who were 65 or older. In the town, the population was spread out, with 4,748 housing units at an average density of 813.0 per square mile (313.9/km²). The median age was 21 years, with 7.3 per cent of the residents being under 65 years of age. The average household size was 1.97 and the average family size was 2.63. For every100 females age 18 and over,there were 94.7 males.

Law and government

Boone operates under a mayorcouncil government. The city council consists of five members. The mayor presides over the council and casts a vote on issues only in the event of a tie. As of December 2021, the Town Council members were: Mayor Tim Futrelle, and Councilors: Edie Tugman (Mayor Pro-Tem), Todd Carter, Virginia Roseman, Jon Dalton George, Rebecca Nenow. The mayor is the only member of the council who is not a resident of the town. The town has a population of 2,000 people. It is located in the eastern part of the state. It was founded in 1858. The first mayor was elected in 1859. The current mayor is Tim Fut Relle. The Town Council has five members, including the mayor and two members of the mayor pro-tem. It has a mayor and four councilors. The council has a total of nine members, the mayor being the only one of whom is a resident. It also has two councilors who are not residents of the Town of Boone. The City Council has a city manager, who is the mayor's deputy. The Mayor presides on the council, and the council votes on council issues only when there is a tie in the mayor-to-councillor vote. The Council also has a town manager and a town council member who serves as the town's chief of staff. The president of the city council has the power to appoint the mayor.

Development

In 2009, the North Carolina Department of Transportation began widening 1.1 miles of U.S. 421 (King Street) to a 4-to-6-lane divided highway with a raised concrete median. The widening has displaced 25 businesses and 63 residences east of historic downtown King Street. The project was slated to be completed by December 31, 2011, but construction continued into the spring of 2012. The town council accepted the "Boone 2030 Land Use Plan" on October 16, 2009. While the document itself is not in any way actual law, it is used by the town council, board of adjustment, and other committees to guide decision making as to what types of development are appropriate. The document is not a law, but rather a guide to what type of development is appropriate in the town of Boone, North Carolina. The plan is not final, but is used to guide the town's decision-making process as to which types of developments are appropriate for the town to approve or disapprove of. It is also used to help the town prepare for future development in the area, such as the construction of a new high school in Watauga, N.C., in the future. In the past, the town has been reluctant to approve new development due to its location in the mountains of Appalachia. The new Watauga High School is expected to open in the fall of 2013, and will be located in the center of the town, near historic downtown Boone. It will be the first high school of its kind in the state.

Sports

Boone is home to the Appalachian State Mountaineers which field varsity teams in 17 sports, 7 for men and 10 for women. The Boone Bigfoots were formed in 2021 and now compete in the Coastal Plain League, a wood-bat collegiate summer baseball league. Boone's entry in the National Premier Soccer League is Appalachian FC which began play in March 2021 and play home games at ASU Soccer Stadium in the Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex. The Appalachian State football team is the only team in North Carolina, public or private, to win an NCAA national championship in football. The team won three straight national championships in 2005, 2006, and 2007. Boone also has local baseball and soccer teams which play their home games in Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium. The Bigfoots now play in the coastal Plain League and the Appalachian FC play their games at Appalachian FC's home stadium in March 2019. The Mountaineer football program has been successful with the team winning three straight NCAA national championships from 2005 to 2007. The school also has a women's football team which has won the national championship three times in a row from 2007 to 2009. The football program is the first in the state to win the national title in both men's and women's sports. It is also the first team in the U.S. to do so in both football and women’s sports. The university has a track and field program that has won multiple national championships. The men's basketball team has won two national championships and the women's team won the 2007 national championship.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Boone, Watauga County, North Carolina = 54.6. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 80. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 98. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Boone = 4.6 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 9,245 individuals with a median age of 22.2 age the population grows by 2.01% in Boone, Watauga County, North Carolina population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 3,014.68 residents per square mile of area (1,164.00/km²). There are average 1.91 people per household in the 4,525 households with an average household income of $25,207 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 7.00% of the available work force and has dropped -2.18% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 28.64%. The number of physicians in Boone per 100,000 population = 247.6.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Boone = 55.6 inches and the annual snowfall = 39.8 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 138. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 204. 78 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 23.6 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 61, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Boone, Watauga County, North Carolina which are owned by the occupant = 27.18%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 31 years with median home cost = $96,230 and home appreciation of -8.32%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $4.01 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $5,361 per student. There are 13.4 students for each teacher in the school, 398 students for each Librarian and 295 students for each Counselor. 7.23% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 23.12% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 24.81% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).