The Town FilesOssipee, North Carolina
Town in Alamance County · population 536 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $125,700
- Household income
- $70,417
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 34.8
Ossipee is a town of 536 people in Alamance County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $125,700, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 100% of North Carolina towns, more of a college town than 100% of North Carolina towns, better for young professionals than 99% of North Carolina towns.
How Ossipee 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 Ossipee is worth $125,700, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $70,417, which is more affordable than 99% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $1,094 a month. 80.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ossipee | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $125,700 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $1,094 | $969 |
| Median household income | $70,417 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 80.1% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Ossipee
| People | Ossipee | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.8 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.7% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 26.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.7% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.2% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 7.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.1% | — |
| Work from home | 8.4% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.4% | 89.5% |
Weather in Ossipee
July highs average 89.7°F and January lows 30.7°F. About 47.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.7 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 50 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 72 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ossipee since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on April 15, 2018 about 8.6 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 9 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 18, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 42 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 2, 1983.
Severe weather in Alamance County since 1996
Alamance County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3637: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 11, 2025 | Tropical Depression | DR-4889: Tropical Depression Chantal |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Alamance County
Alamance County had 67,668 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,502 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Ossipee itself the ACS puts it at 13.7%.
Towns near Ossipee
- Glen Raven, NC4.0 mi · 3,239 people · home $224,000
- Elon, NC4.4 mi · 11,336 people · home $366,300
- Gibsonville, NC4.7 mi · 8,920 people · home $298,000
- Whitsett, NC6.8 mi · 584 people · home $213,000
- Burlington, NC6.8 mi · 57,303 people · home $199,200
- Sedalia, NC8.4 mi · 676 people · home $206,500
- McLeansville, NC9.0 mi · 1,113 people · home $207,400
- Alamance, NC9.7 mi · 988 people · home $407,300
Ossipee questions
Is Ossipee, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ossipee scores better for retirees than 73% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 6%. 12.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.8).
How much does a house cost in Ossipee?
The median owner-occupied home in Ossipee is valued at $125,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,417, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $1,094 a month.
What is the weather like in Ossipee?
July highs average 89.7°F and January lows 30.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.1 inches of precipitation a year and 4.7 inches of snow.
Does Ossipee get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ossipee since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on April 15, 2018. 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)