The Town FilesPrinceville, North Carolina
Town in Edgecombe County · population 1,254 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $106,000
- Household income
- $46,406
- Jan low / Jul high
- 30° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 40.0
Princeville is a town of 1,254 people in Edgecombe County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $106,000, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks better for cycling than 97% of North Carolina towns.
How Princeville 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 Princeville is worth $106,000, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $46,406, which is more affordable than 94% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $1,103 a month. 66.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Princeville | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $106,000 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $1,103 | $969 |
| Median household income | $46,406 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 66.1% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1998 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.2% | — |
Who lives in Princeville
| People | Princeville | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.0 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.1% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 31.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8.1% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 36.2% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 2.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 24.8 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 67.5% | 89.5% |
Weather in Princeville
July highs average 89.3°F and January lows 30.1°F. About 47.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.8 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 43 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 70 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Princeville since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on November 23, 1992 about 0.2 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 23 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 31, 2019.
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 Princeville itself the ACS puts it at 8.7%.
Towns near Princeville
- Tarboro, NC2.0 mi · 10,721 people · home $185,500
- Pinetops, NC9.0 mi · 1,200 people · home $136,500
- Bethel, NC10.2 mi · 1,373 people · home $107,800
- Robersonville, NC16.0 mi · 1,269 people · home $94,500
- Rocky Mount, NC16.6 mi · 54,341 people · home $165,700
- Sharpsburg, NC16.9 mi · 1,697 people · home $121,900
- Scotland Neck, NC17.8 mi · 1,640 people · home $73,000
- Whitakers, NC18.2 mi · 627 people · home $148,300
Princeville questions
Is Princeville, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Princeville scores better for retirees than 4% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 26%. 20.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.0).
How much does a house cost in Princeville?
The median owner-occupied home in Princeville is valued at $106,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $46,406, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $1,103 a month.
What is the weather like in Princeville?
July highs average 89.3°F and January lows 30.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.6 inches of precipitation a year and 4.8 inches of snow.
Does Princeville get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Princeville 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)