The Town FilesPinetops, North Carolina
Town in Edgecombe County · population 1,200 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $136,500
- Household income
- $60,458
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 39.7
Pinetops is a town of 1,200 people in Edgecombe County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $136,500, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks easier by car than 94% of North Carolina towns, better transit than 77% of North Carolina towns, better for retirees than 71% of North Carolina towns.
How Pinetops 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 Pinetops is worth $136,500, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $60,458, which is more affordable than 94% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $815 a month. 54.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pinetops | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $136,500 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $815 | $969 |
| Median household income | $60,458 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 54.6% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Pinetops
| People | Pinetops | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.7 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.3% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 19.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.0% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.1% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 4.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 3.4% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 19.6 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.6% | 89.5% |
Weather in Pinetops
July highs average 88.4°F and January lows 30.6°F. About 48.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.8 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 37 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 70 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pinetops since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on November 23, 1992 about 3.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 13, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 29, 2011.
Severe weather in Edgecombe County since 1996
Edgecombe 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 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 Edgecombe County
Edgecombe County had 15,302 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,402 a year. Unemployment was 5.7% in 2023; in Pinetops itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.
Public schools in Pinetops
3 public schools with 1,650 students, about 17.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SouthWest Edgecombe High | 9-12 | 828 | 20.7 |
| G W Carver Elementary | PK-5 | 553 | 14.6 |
| South Edgecombe Middle | 6-8 | 269 | 14.2 |
Towns near Pinetops
- Princeville, NC9.0 mi · 1,254 people · home $106,000
- Tarboro, NC9.1 mi · 10,721 people · home $185,500
- Sharpsburg, NC12.0 mi · 1,697 people · home $121,900
- Elm City, NC12.3 mi · 1,218 people · home $109,300
- Farmville, NC13.8 mi · 4,461 people · home $183,000
- Bethel, NC14.7 mi · 1,373 people · home $107,800
- Rocky Mount, NC15.5 mi · 54,341 people · home $165,700
- Stantonsburg, NC16.4 mi · 762 people · home $132,600
Pinetops questions
Is Pinetops, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pinetops scores better for retirees than 71% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 69%. 20.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.7).
How much does a house cost in Pinetops?
The median owner-occupied home in Pinetops is valued at $136,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,458, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $815 a month.
What is the weather like in Pinetops?
July highs average 88.4°F and January lows 30.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.6 inches of precipitation a year and 2.8 inches of snow.
Does Pinetops get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pinetops since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on November 23, 1992. 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)