The Town FilesRich Square, North Carolina
Town in Northampton County · population 894 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $85,000
- Household income
- $37,031
- Jan low / Jul high
- 29° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 59.1
Rich Square is a town of 894 people in Northampton County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $85,000, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 90% of North Carolina towns, better for retirees than 88% of North Carolina towns, easier by car than 87% of North Carolina towns.
How Rich Square 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 Rich Square is worth $85,000, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $37,031, which is more affordable than 94% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $764 a month. 74.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rich Square | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $85,000 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $764 | $969 |
| Median household income | $37,031 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 74.8% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rich Square
| People | Rich Square | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 59.1 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 40.2% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 12.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.4% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 35.2% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 8.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 1.0% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 32.1 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 65.1% | 89.5% |
Weather in Rich Square
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 28.8°F. About 50.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.8 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 43 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 80 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rich Square since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 1, 2001 about 6.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 26, 2008.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 17 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 31, 2019.
Severe weather in Northampton County since 1996
Northampton County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, 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 |
| August 2, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3534: Hurricane Isaias |
Jobs and pay in Northampton County
Northampton County had 4,859 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,460 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in Rich Square itself the ACS puts it at 11.8%.
Towns near Rich Square
- Woodland, NC5.5 mi · 557 people · home $112,500
- Aulander, NC10.0 mi · 763 people · home $128,300
- Conway, NC11.8 mi · 752 people · home $106,000
- Scotland Neck, NC12.5 mi · 1,640 people · home $73,000
- Murfreesboro, NC15.6 mi · 2,619 people · home $158,600
- Ahoskie, NC16.4 mi · 4,891 people · home $143,200
- Seaboard, NC17.4 mi · 542 people · home $91,500
- Garysburg, NC19.5 mi · 904 people · home $107,600
Rich Square questions
Is Rich Square, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rich Square scores better for retirees than 88% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 83%. 40.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 59.1).
How much does a house cost in Rich Square?
The median owner-occupied home in Rich Square is valued at $85,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $37,031, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $764 a month.
What is the weather like in Rich Square?
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 28.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.9 inches of precipitation a year and 2.8 inches of snow.
Does Rich Square get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rich Square since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 1, 2001. 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)