City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Tarboro, NC

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

10,705
Residents
$49,386
Median income
$155,500
Median home
$1,143
Median rent (state)

Tarboro - the verdict

Nationally, Tarboro sits in the 19th percentile for household income and the 12th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

19th
percentile, household income
29th
percentile, home value
32nd
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: Tarboro, NC

North Carolina's Tarboro is a small town, with 10,705 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Tarboro brings in $49,386 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 19.7%. Tarboro's housing stock carries a median value of $155,500, and the median resident age is 48.9 years. Educational attainment runs 25.4% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 51.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 29 residential building permits were authorized in Tarboro (Building Boom), up 222% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Tarboro's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 3360.8 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 60.4°F with 47.6 inches of precipitation per year and 4.8 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 $1,143 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts North Carolina's average monthly utility costs around $215 (state average). Workers in Tarboro report an average commute of 17.0 minutes, with 78.1% driving alone and 11.7% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 76.4 out of 100 (High).

Population

10,705 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$49,386 /yr

Poverty 19.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Tarboro compare to other US cities?

Tarboro measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 19% higher than other cities
Home value 29% pricier than other cities
Median rent 32% 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.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at North Carolina, Tarboro ranks #128 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Tarboro against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to North Carolina only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

North Carolina-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Tarboro toward the top of North Carolina's cities

Among the 746 North Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Tarboro ranks #149 - the 80th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Tarboro only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#473 of 700
32nd percentile in North Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#362 of 746
50th percentile in North Carolina
Median Home Value
#463 of 708
34th percentile in North Carolina
Poverty Rate
#149 of 746
80th percentile in North Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#292 of 746
60th percentile in North Carolina

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within North Carolina only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

19thIncome percentile
12thSafety percentile

19th percentile nationally for median household income · 12th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Tarboro's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Tarboro'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 34 Avg. percentile National median
Tarboro'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 Tarboro's home value compares nationally

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

$155,500 Among the most affordable more affordable than 71% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. Tarboro $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 - Tarboro, NC Tarboro, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Tarboro, 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 Tarboro, NC median $49,386/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%
Tarboro, 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 Tarboro, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 25.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 19.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 51.6%

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

Population
10,705
Median Income
$49,386
Median Home Value
$155,500
Median Age
48.9
Poverty Rate
19.7%
Labor force participation
51.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
25.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3360.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
668.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2692.3
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
60.4°F
Annual Precipitation
47.6"
Annual Snowfall
4.8"

Schools

Total Schools
8
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
10,400 residents10,600 residents10,800 residents11,000 residents11,200 residents 202020212022202320242025 10,687 residents 10,979 residents ▲ +2.7%
Tarboro's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
29
housing units authorized
Single-Family
24
detached homes
Multifamily
5
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 9
2020 22
2021 130
2022 66
2023 37
2024 29

Permit volume increased 222% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
17.0 minutes
Drive Alone
78.1%
Carpool
6.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.6%
Work from Home
11.7%
Other
2.6%

Based on 4,343 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 Tarboro sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,143/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
76.4 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Mount Airy
10,631 people
Pineville
10,780 people
Winterville
10,624 people
Waynesville
10,408 people
Summerfield
11,031 people
Spout Springs
11,073 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Tarboro's 10,705 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Gages Lake, IL
10,706 people
Van Wert, OH
10,710 people
Orono, ME
10,699 people
Fuller Heights, FL
10,697 people
Kearney, MO
10,696 people
Felida, WA
10,695 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Tarboro's $49,386 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

LaBelle, FL
$49,385 median income
Klein, MT
$49,387 median income
Campbellsville, KY
$49,389 median income
Port Huron, MI
$49,377 median income
Auburn, NY
$49,377 median income
Eek, AK
$49,375 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Tarboro, 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 Tarboro, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 45.0% 51.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7.4% White 45.0% Black or African American 51.7% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 1.8% Two or more races 1.4% 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 Tarboro 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
Tarboro (this city) 10,705 $49,386
Mount Airy 10,631 $39,873
Pineville 10,780 $64,257
Winterville 10,624 $82,783
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Tarboro, NC?

What is the population of Tarboro, NC? +

Tarboro, NC counts 10,705 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Tarboro is $49,386 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Tarboro? +

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

Tarboro has a total crime rate of 3360.8 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 Tarboro, NC? +

A typical home in Tarboro is worth $155,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Tarboro? +

Climate normals put Tarboro's yearly average temperature at 60.4°F, 47.6 inches of precipitation, and 4.8 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 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

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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.