City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Greenville, NC

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

88,540
Residents
$50,564
Median income
$213,100
Median home
$1,095
Median rent (state)

Greenville - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Greenville lands in the 20th percentile for household income and the 12th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

20th
percentile, household income
46th
percentile, home value
28th
percentile, median rent
12th
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: Greenville, NC

88,540 people live in Greenville, North Carolina - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $50,564 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 13.5%. Typical homes in Greenville are valued around $213,100, and the median resident age is 28.0 years. Educational attainment runs 39.3% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 58.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 843 residential building permits were authorized in Greenville (Rapid Growth), up 20% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Greenville's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 3367.4 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 62.1°F with 53.4 inches of precipitation per year and 3.3 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, North Carolina scores 94.3 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,095 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in North Carolina run around $215, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 16.1 minutes, with 74.8% driving alone and 11.7% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 89.8 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

88,540 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$50,564 /yr

Poverty 13.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Greenville compare to other US cities?

Where Greenville sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 20% higher than other cities
Home value 46% pricier than other cities
Median rent 28% pricier than other cities
Safety 12% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to North Carolina alone, Greenville ranks #129 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

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 Greenville'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.

20thIncome percentile
12thSafety percentile

20th percentile nationally for median household income · 12th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Greenville's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Greenville'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
Greenville'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 Greenville's home value compares nationally

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

$213,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 54% 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%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Greenville $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 - Greenville, NC Greenville, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Greenville, 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 Greenville, NC median $50,564/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%
Greenville, 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 Greenville, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 39.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 13.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.6%

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

Population
88,540
Median Income
$50,564
Median Home Value
$213,100
Median Age
28.0
Poverty Rate
13.5%
Labor force participation
58.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
39.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3367.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
453.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2914.0
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
62.1°F
Annual Precipitation
53.4"
Annual Snowfall
3.3"

Schools

Total Schools
22
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
90,000 residents92,000 residents94,000 residents96,000 residents98,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 90,944 residents 96,443 residents ▲ +6.0%
Greenville's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
843
housing units authorized
Single-Family
606
detached homes
Multifamily
237
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
9.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 701
2020 349
2021 843
2022 542
2023 1,014
2024 843

Permit volume increased 20% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
16.1 minutes
Drive Alone
74.8%
Carpool
8.3%
Public Transit
1.3%
Walk
3.0%
Work from Home
11.7%
Other
0.9%

Based on 42,848 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 Greenville sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,095/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
89.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Asheville
94,369 people
Gastonia
81,632 people
Jacksonville
73,507 people
Concord
106,518 people
Apex
67,765 people
Huntersville
62,458 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Greenville's 88,540 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

San Leandro, CA
88,531 people
Newton, MA
88,504 people
Lawrence, MA
88,297 people
Champaign, IL
88,822 people
Bloomington, MN
88,838 people
Santa Fe, NM
88,224 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Greenville's $50,564 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Lindsay, CA
$50,563 median income
Roland, OK
$50,563 median income
New Llano, LA
$50,568 median income
Grand Saline, TX
$50,568 median income
Bedford, PA
$50,570 median income
Dos Palos, CA
$50,556 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Greenville, 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 Greenville, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 49.3% 40.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.3% White 49.3% Black or African American 40.4% Asian 2.7% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.5% Two or more races 4.8% 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 Greenville 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
Greenville (this city) 88,540 $50,564
Asheville 94,369 $67,221
Gastonia 81,632 $60,554
Jacksonville 73,507 $54,069
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Greenville, NC?

What is the population of Greenville, NC? +

The population of Greenville, NC stands at 88,540 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Greenville, the typical household earns $50,564 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Greenville? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Greenville; 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 Greenville, NC safe? +

Greenville has a total crime rate of 3367.4 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 Greenville, NC? +

Homes in Greenville carry a median value of $213,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Greenville? +

Greenville has an average annual temperature of 62.1°F, 53.4 inches of precipitation, and 3.3 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 BPS 2024, 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 Editorial

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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.