Williamston, NC

Census place 3774220 · pop 5,112

D−40/ 100
🫤 Rough
F
in NC
📍 North Carolina ranks #16 of 50 states →
🏆 Cost$107,100 · top 4%
🚽 Poverty36.3% · bottom 1%
Taxes
1.35% property · US 0.99%7.00% sales · US 7.00%3.99% flat income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Poverty rate36.3%1

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

36.3% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Median household income$38,7382

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$38,738 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Adult obesity43.6%6

U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities

43.6% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Bachelor's degree or higher14.3%8

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

14.3% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Physical inactivity35.7%8

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

35.7% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Adult smoking19.0%9

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

19.0% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Broadband access84.3%10

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

84.3% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Population growth (5yr)-3.8%12

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

-3.8% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Homeownership50.5%16

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

50.5% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Uninsured adults13.2%25

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

13.2% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Poor mental health18.6%28

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

18.6% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Property-tax burden1.35%33

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

1.35% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Income inequality0.4442

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.44 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.7%47

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

3.7% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level82/10061

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

82/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Commute time20 min75

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

20 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Air quality (AQI)County-level31 AQI93

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

31 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Housing cost$107,10096

U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities

$107,100 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Not measured for Williamston: Crime, Property crime, Rent. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Williamston, NC a good place to live?
By the numbers, Williamston scores 40/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 19 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is housing cost and its weakest is poverty rate. North Carolina overall ranks #16 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Williamston, NC expensive to live in?
Williamston has a median home value of $107,100 — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Williamston, NC?
Its weakest measured area is poverty rate (36.3%) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Williamston, NC best at?
Its strongest measured area is housing cost ($107,100) — 96/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.