The Town FilesMount Olive, North Carolina
Town in Wayne County · population 4,198 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $153,500
- Household income
- $48,700
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 42.9
Mount Olive is a town of 4,198 people in Wayne County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $153,500, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks better for cycling than 94% of North Carolina towns, more of a college town than 91% of North Carolina towns, more walkable than 90% of North Carolina towns.
How Mount Olive 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 Mount Olive is worth $153,500, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $48,700, which is more affordable than 72% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $950 a month. 56.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mount Olive | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $153,500 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $950 | $969 |
| Median household income | $48,700 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 56.9% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1963 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.9% | — |
Who lives in Mount Olive
| People | Mount Olive | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.9 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.7% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 15.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.8% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.7% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 16.1% | — |
| Work from home | 5.5% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 19.0 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.6% | 89.5% |
Weather in Mount Olive
July highs average 89.4°F and January lows 31.3°F. About 49.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.0 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 44 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 63 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mount Olive since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on March 28, 1984 about 1.4 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 13 deaths and 315 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on September 5, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 23, 1983.
Severe weather in Wayne County since 1996
Wayne County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 |
| August 2, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3534: Hurricane Isaias |
Jobs and pay in Wayne County
Wayne County had 41,880 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,087 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Mount Olive itself the ACS puts it at 9.8%.
Public schools in Mount Olive
2 public schools with 873 students, about 15.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carver Elementary | PK-4 | 509 | 13.8 |
| Mount Olive Middle | 5-8 | 364 | 19.2 |
Towns near Mount Olive
- Brogden, NC6.9 mi · 2,510 people · home $96,400
- Mar-Mac, NC9.1 mi · 3,184 people · home $149,200
- Elroy, NC12.1 mi · 3,755 people · home $133,100
- Goldsboro, NC13.4 mi · 33,657 people · home $200,400
- Warsaw, NC13.9 mi · 2,733 people · home $112,500
- La Grange, NC17.2 mi · 2,595 people · home $83,800
- Clinton, NC20.4 mi · 8,383 people · home $212,000
- Selma, NC26.7 mi · 6,317 people · home $171,600
Mount Olive questions
Is Mount Olive, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mount Olive scores better for retirees than 39% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 14%. 20.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.9).
How much does a house cost in Mount Olive?
The median owner-occupied home in Mount Olive is valued at $153,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $48,700, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $950 a month.
What is the weather like in Mount Olive?
July highs average 89.4°F and January lows 31.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.4 inches of precipitation a year and 2.0 inches of snow.
Does Mount Olive get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mount Olive since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on March 28, 1984. 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)