City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Clinton, NC

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Clinton - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

8,336
Residents
$42,344
Median income
$185,600
Median home
$925
Median rent (state)

Clinton - the verdict

Clinton ranks in the 10th percentile for household income and the 8th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

10th
percentile, household income
38th
percentile, home value
7th
percentile, median rent
8th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Clinton, NC

North Carolina's Clinton is a small town, with 8,336 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Clinton brings in $42,344 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 17.1%. Typical homes in Clinton are valued around $185,600, and the median resident age is 39.9 years. 22.1% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 46.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Clinton's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 3843.4 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Clinton's yearly average temperature at 61.5°F with 51.0 inches of precipitation per year and 1.8 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: the state registers 94.3 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $925 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts North Carolina's average monthly utility costs around $215 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 90.2 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

8,336 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$42,344 /yr

Poverty 17.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Clinton compare to other US cities?

Here's how Clinton stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 10% higher than other cities
Home value 38% pricier than other cities
Median rent 7% pricier than other cities
Safety 8% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just North Carolina and the picture shifts: Clinton ranks #149 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Clinton's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in North Carolina, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

10thIncome percentile
8thSafety percentile

10th percentile nationally for median household income · 8th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Clinton's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Clinton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 32 Avg. percentile National median
Clinton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Clinton's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$185,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 62% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Clinton $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Clinton, NC Clinton, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Clinton, NC-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Clinton, NC median $42,344/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Clinton, NC's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Clinton, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 22.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 17.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 46.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
8,336
Median Income
$42,344
Median Home Value
$185,600
Median Age
39.9
Poverty Rate
17.1%
Labor force participation
46.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
22.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3843.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
566.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3277.1
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
61.5°F
Annual Precipitation
51.0"
Annual Snowfall
1.8"

Schools

Total Schools
9
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
8,200 residents8,300 residents8,400 residents8,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 8,367 residents 8,466 residents ▲ +1.2%
Clinton's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
76.9%
Carpool
11.1%
Public Transit
1.3%
Walk
1.3%
Work from Home
8.4%
Other
1.0%

Based on 3,005 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for North Carolina - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$215
estimated/month

Estimates reflect North Carolina state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a North Carolina state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Clinton sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$925/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
90.2 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Ogden
8,363 people
Black Mountain
8,462 people
Conover
8,491 people
Dunn
8,512 people
Roxboro
8,144 people
Fletcher
8,022 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Clinton's 8,336 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Newton, NJ
8,336 people
Cushing, OK
8,336 people
Sioux Center, IA
8,335 people
Kenilworth, NJ
8,339 people
Shiprock, NM
8,339 people
Fort Stockton, TX
8,340 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Clinton's $42,344 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Walden, CO
$42,344 median income
Ray City, GA
$42,344 median income
Hebbronville, TX
$42,347 median income
Plymouth, PA
$42,348 median income
Lost Hills, CA
$42,333 median income
Millfield, OH
$42,356 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Clinton, NC Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Clinton, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 34.1% 40.9% 11.3% 10.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 23.2% White 34.1% Black or African American 40.9% Asian 1.9% American Indian 1.6% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 11.3% Two or more races 10.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Clinton compares to nearby North Carolina cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Clinton (this city) 8,336 $42,344
Ogden 8,363 $111,461
Black Mountain 8,462 $70,041
Conover 8,491 $57,375
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Clinton, NC?

What is the population of Clinton, NC? +

Clinton, NC has a population of 8,336 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Clinton, NC? +

Median annual household income in Clinton runs $42,344, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Clinton? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Clinton; the closest available measure is the North Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 94.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within North Carolina vary by metro area.

Is Clinton, NC safe? +

Clinton has a total crime rate of 3843.4 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Clinton, NC? +

Homes in Clinton carry a median value of $185,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Clinton? +

Clinton has an average annual temperature of 61.5°F, 51.0 inches of precipitation, and 1.8 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

Verify with HUD →

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.