This North Carolina Park Named Best In The Nation
The National Park Service (NPS) oversees more than 400 sites, which include memorials, battlefields, recreation areas and of course, the parks themselves. According to CNN, last year, those sites had…
The National Park Service (NPS) oversees more than 400 sites, which include memorials, battlefields, recreation areas and of course, the parks themselves. According to CNN, last year, those sites had about 325.5-million recreation visits, according to the NPS’s annual visitation report that just came out.
- That’s 13-million more visits (or 4%) more than in 2022, but the peak year for recreation visits is still 2016 with 330.97-million.
- Of course, some sites are much more popular than others, including the most visited National Park Service in 2023, the Blue Ridge Parkway.
- It’s a roadway that winds through 29 counties in North Carolina and Virginia, linking Shenandoah National Park and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
- The only new entry on the most-visited NPS sites in 2023 is Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Utah.
- The national parks get a lot of the attention, but they only account for 28% of total visitors to all National Park Service sites in 2023.
The Top 10 Most Visited National Park Service Sites in 2023
- Blue Ridge Parkway (16.75 million visits)
- Golden Gate National Recreation Area (14.95 million
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park (13.29 million)
- Gateway National Recreation Area (8.70 million)
- Gulf Islands National Seashore (8.27 million)
- Lincoln Memorial (8.09 million)
- George Washington Memorial Parkway (7.39 million)
- Natchez Trace Parkway (6.78 million)
- Lake Mead National Recreation Area (5.79 million)
- Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (5.20 million)
The Top 10 Most Visited National Parks in 2023
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park (13.29 million)
- Grand Canyon National Park (4.73 million)
- Zion National Park (4.62 million)
- Yellowstone National Park (4.50 million)
- Rocky Mountain National Park (4.11 million)
- Yosemite National Park (3.89 million)
- Acadia National Park (3.87 million)
- Grand Teton National Park (3.41 million)
- Joshua Tree National Park (3.27 million)
- Olympic National Park (2.94 million)
How Far A $100,000 Salary Goes In The Major North Carolina Cities
A $100,000 salary seems like a dream to this North Carolina worker. But with the cost of living rising every day that amount of money isn't quite worth what it once was. Or what it is everywhere. I honestly couldn't envy you more if you don't have to stress about money, salary, and inflation. Not a day goes by that these things don't cross my mind, and how the possibility of making six figures seems like it would solve all my problems. Or at least a good portion of them.
While that seems like a fever dream, it gets worse. That $100,000 salary isn't really worth six figures in most cities. Once you factor in taxes, housing, food, and other costs va $100,000 income can look very different depending on what city you're located in. This is why our friends at SmartAsset adjusted an income of $100,000 for federal, state, and local taxes, and the local cost of living premiums. All of this to demonstrate the purchasing power of a $100,000 salary in 72 of the largest U.S. cities including four in North Carolina.
Top 10 Cities Where $100,000 Goes Furthest
El Paso, TX: $88,840
Oklahoma City, OK: $87,585
Memphis, TN: $86,960
Corpus Christi, TX: $86,383
San Antonio, TX: $85,625
Lubbock, TX: $85,065
Tulsa, OK: $84,507
Jacksonville, FL: $83,878
Houston, TX: $82,986
St. Louis, MO: $82,614
On the contrary, in Manhattan, it equates to around $31,000. Ouch. I knew I could never afford to live in the only parts of NYC I wanted to live in, but seeing it in writing hits different. But what about North Carolina? It's not good but not all terrible either. Four North Carolina cities were analyzed as part of Smart Asset's study. These were Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, and Winston-Salem. Keep reading to see the adjusted values of a $100,000 salary in each of these four North Carolina cities. Read the full study here.
Winston Salem
Kruck20/Getty Images Royalty Free$79,298
Winston Salem gets you the most out of your $100,000 salary. The purchasing power is just under $80,000 which makes it the best in the state. Plus living in Winston has you 1-2 hours from both Charlotte and Raleigh.
Charlotte
Sean Pavone/Getty Images Royalty Free$76,750
Does Charlotte being second best shock you? It sure does me. That $100,000 salary will end up being about $76,750 in the Queen City. But even that doesn't sound half bad.
Raleigh
Mark Howard/Getty Images Royalty Free$75,730
So wow, neither Charlotte or Raleigh are impacted to most when it comes to the adjusted value of $100,000. Raleigh lags just behind Charlotte, which I would have not predicted. I'll give this victory to the City of Oaks.
Durham
SeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images Royalty Free$74,436
And the North Carolina city where $100,000 is the least amount of money? Durham. Go figure.
