The Andy Griffith Show continues to amass fans decades after the series’ final episode aired. Part of the show’s allure is the simple, homey, and comfortable feel of the fictional town of Mayberry, where Andy Taylor lived with his young son. Andy and Opie’s house was featured on the show regularly, and while the abode was modest, it still felt comfortable. Do you know how much the home would be worth today, though? We did some digging and found comparable properties.
Mount Airy, NC, is the town Mayberry was based on
Mayberry was a fictional town, but it was based on Mount Airy, North Carolina, where Andy Griffith himself was born. Griffith wasn’t just born in the tiny village; he spent his entire childhood there. He graduated from Mount Airy High School in 1944. If you’ve never heard of Mount Airy, you aren’t alone.
The town, nestled along the banks of the Ararat River, has a population of just 10,000. The town’s attractions mostly revolve around the outdoors, with greenspaces and fishing spots dotting the landscape. Its biggest claim to fame, however, is still The Andy Griffith Show. If you didn’t know you were looking for the town, you’d probably miss it.
Andy Taylor’s house would be worth more than $250,000 today
Mayberry was fictional, and so was Andy Taylor’s home. Still, we have plenty of information about the property to determine its current value. Because the house Andy and Opie Taylor shared was regularly featured on The Andy Griffith Show, we have a good sense of the layout. The house had four bedrooms, one bathroom, a large kitchen, and a living room with a fireplace. The house wasn’t exactly enormous, but it wasn’t small either.
Comparable properties in Mount Airy, NC, which served as the inspiration for Mayberry, are currently selling for between $200,000 and $500,000, depending on the acreage included with the house. According to Realtor, the average value of homes in the small town is $260,000.
Could Andy have afforded his home on a Sherrif’s salary?
While Andy Taylor’s house would be worth more than $250,000 today, that’s certainly not what he paid when he purchased it. Presumably, Andy Taylor bought the house he shared with Opie years before the series’ premiere, but for argument’s sake, let’s assume he purchased the home in 1960, the year the pilot episode aired.
In 1960, the average home in North Carolina was valued at around $8,000, according to Historical Census of Housing Tables. Government documents show that a sheriff, like Andy, would have earned about $4,500 per year in North Caroline in 1960. Based on the historical data, Andy could easily afford the home he shared with his son on his salary. If the show were set in the current day, Andy would be pulling in six figures and could still afford to call fictional Mayberry home.