The Town FilesGarland, North Carolina
Town in Sampson County · population 595 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $123,900
- Household income
- $57,829
- Jan low / Jul high
- 32° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 24.7
Garland is a town of 595 people in Sampson County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $123,900, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks easier by car than 99% of North Carolina towns, more of a college town than 84% of North Carolina towns.
How Garland ranks
Percentile among North Carolina towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Carolina towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Garland is worth $123,900, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $57,829, which is more affordable than 97% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $942 a month. 62.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Garland | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $123,900 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $942 | $969 |
| Median household income | $57,829 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 62.1% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.0% | — |
Who lives in Garland
| People | Garland | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 24.7 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.4% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.8% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.1% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 3.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.9% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.8% | 89.5% |
Weather in Garland
July highs average 91.0°F and January lows 31.6°F. About 53.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.2 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 55 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 62 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Garland since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 11, 1960 about 10.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 27, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 17 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 10, 2024.
Severe weather in Sampson County since 1996
Sampson County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3637: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3617: Hurricane Helene |
| August 6, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3608: Tropical Storm Debby |
| October 1, 2022 | Hurricane | EM-3586: Hurricane Ian |
| March 3, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4588: Tropical Storm Eta |
Jobs and pay in Sampson County
Sampson County had 17,090 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,873 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Garland itself the ACS puts it at 4.6%.
Towns near Garland
- White Lake, NC10.8 mi · 843 people · home $235,300
- Roseboro, NC13.5 mi · 1,163 people · home $130,300
- Clinton, NC15.3 mi · 8,383 people · home $212,000
- Elizabethtown, NC16.5 mi · 3,296 people · home $159,200
- Magnolia, NC20.8 mi · 831 people · home $114,400
- Rose Hill, NC21.1 mi · 1,371 people · home $125,000
- Warsaw, NC22.6 mi · 2,733 people · home $112,500
- Wallace, NC23.2 mi · 3,413 people · home $178,000
Garland questions
Is Garland, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Garland scores better for retirees than 35% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 51%. 13.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 24.7).
How much does a house cost in Garland?
The median owner-occupied home in Garland is valued at $123,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,829, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $942 a month.
What is the weather like in Garland?
July highs average 91.0°F and January lows 31.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.3 inches of precipitation a year and 1.2 inches of snow.
Does Garland get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Garland since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 11, 1960. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)