The Town Files

Richfield, North Carolina

Town in Stanly County · population 582 (2020 Census)

Map: where Richfield is in North CarolinaRichfield
Median home
$219,900
Household income
$70,750
Jan low / Jul high
31° / 89°
Snow a year
1 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
8
Median age
30.9

Richfield is a town of 582 people in Stanly County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $219,900, close to the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks more of a college town than 100% of North Carolina towns, better for families than 89% of North Carolina towns, easier by car than 78% of North Carolina towns.

How Richfield 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.

Richfield lifestyle rankings vs other North Carolina townsRetirement73rd pctFamilies89th pctQuiet35th pctWalkability52nd pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals61st pctVibrancy44th pctHip & trendy36th pctCollege town100th pctUpscale62nd pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving78th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Richfield is worth $219,900, close to the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $70,750, which is more affordable than 75% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $1,060 a month. 80.8% of households own their home.

Richfield vs Stanly County vs typical North Carolina townRichfieldStanly CountyTypical North Carolina townHome value$219,900$242,400$228,900Household income$70,750$60,704$60,458Monthly rent$1,060$861$969
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of North Carolina towns with 500+ people.
HousingRichfieldTypical North Carolina town
Median home value$219,900$228,900
Median rent$1,060$969
Median household income$70,750$60,458
Home value ÷ income3.1×3.7×
Homeownership80.8%69.5%
Median year built19791984
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Richfield

PeopleRichfieldTypical North Carolina town
Median age30.941.1
Age 65 and over14.4%19.0%
Under 1822.5%—
Bachelor's degree or higher26.6%24.5%
Below the poverty line11.4%14.3%
Veterans1.8%—
Born outside the U.S.4.1%—
Work from home1.1%9.8%
Average commute23.8 min24.6 min
Homes with broadband94.9%89.5%

Weather in Richfield

July highs average 88.6°F and January lows 30.9°F. About 48.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.8 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 39 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 66 nights at or below freezing.

Richfield monthly temperatures and precipitation30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing51°31°Jan55°33°Feb63°40°Mar72°48°Apr79°57°May86°66°Jun89°69°Jul87°68°Aug81°62°Sep73°50°Oct62°40°Nov54°34°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.80.43.04.00.43.73.54.75.24.84.63.63.33.9
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Albemarle station (6.1 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Richfield since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on January 14, 2005 about 9.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 6, 2020.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Richfield by decade01950s01960s21970s01980s21990s12000s12010s22020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 29, 1987.

Severe weather in Stanly County since 1996

Storm events in Stanly County since 1996 by typeHail46Flood8Tornado7Ice Storm4Lightning4Flash Flood98Strong Wind13Winter Storm26
NOAA Storm Events Database, Stanly County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 5 deaths recorded.

Stanly County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
January 24, 2026Winter StormEM-3637: Severe Winter Storm
September 28, 2024Tropical StormDR-4827: Tropical Storm Helene
September 26, 2024Tropical StormEM-3617: Hurricane Helene
August 6, 2024Tropical StormEM-3608: Tropical Storm Debby
October 1, 2022HurricaneEM-3586: Hurricane Ian

Jobs and pay in Stanly County

Stanly County had 23,093 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $44,697 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Richfield itself the ACS puts it at 4.6%.

Largest industries in Stanly CountyAdministrative & support3,778 jobs · $24,416Manufacturing3,512 jobs · $59,792Retail2,893 jobs · $33,639Hotels & restaurants2,075 jobs · $18,636Health care & social assistan…1,708 jobs · $37,284Construction1,642 jobs · $65,224
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Stanly County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%2000200420082012201620202023Stanly 3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Richfield

1 public school with 323 students, about 16.1 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Richfield ElementaryK-532316.2

Towns near Richfield

Richfield questions

Is Richfield, North Carolina a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Richfield scores better for retirees than 73% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 35%. 14.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.9).

How much does a house cost in Richfield?

The median owner-occupied home in Richfield is valued at $219,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,750, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $1,060 a month.

What is the weather like in Richfield?

July highs average 88.6°F and January lows 30.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.3 inches of precipitation a year and 0.8 inches of snow.

Does Richfield get tornadoes?

8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Richfield since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on January 14, 2005. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Richfield's Census boundary (GEOID 3756340). Comparisons use the median of North Carolina towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.