The Town FilesRocky Point, North Carolina
Community in Pender County · population 1,476 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $163,500
- Household income
- $69,514
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 41.1
Rocky Point is a community of 1,476 people in Pender County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $163,500, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks better transit than 100% of North Carolina towns, better for first-time buyers than 72% of North Carolina towns, more of a college town than 70% of North Carolina towns.
How Rocky Point 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 Rocky Point is worth $163,500, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $69,514, which is more affordable than 92% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $971 a month. 83.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rocky Point | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $163,500 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $971 | $969 |
| Median household income | $69,514 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 83.8% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rocky Point
| People | Rocky Point | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.1 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.7% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 28.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.5% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.8% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 11.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.6% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 28.2 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 69.4% | 89.5% |
Weather in Rocky Point
July highs average 89.0°F and January lows 33.1°F. About 63.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 58 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 56 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rocky Point since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 13, 2004 about 2.0 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 30 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 16, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 23 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 22, 2012.
Severe weather in Pender County since 1996
Pender County has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for hurricane, snowstorm, biological.
| 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 |
| October 14, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4568: Hurricane Isaias |
Jobs and pay in Pender County
Pender County had 14,704 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,159 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Rocky Point itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Rocky Point
5 public schools with 2,176 students, about 13.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heide Trask High | 9-12 | 734 | 16.3 |
| Cape Fear Elementary | PK-5 | 543 | 13.9 |
| Cape Fear Middle | 6-8 | 449 | 13.2 |
| Rocky Point Elementary | PK-5 | 402 | 11.2 |
| Pender Innovative Learning Academy | K-12 | 48 | 9.6 |
Towns near Rocky Point
- Castle Hayne, NC6.2 mi · 1,243 people · home $377,900
- Burgaw, NC7.6 mi · 3,088 people · home $242,200
- Skippers Corner, NC8.2 mi · 2,912 people · home $247,500
- Northchase, NC9.4 mi · 3,842 people · home $318,400
- Hampstead, NC9.6 mi · 7,016 people · home $402,100
- Murraysville, NC10.9 mi · 16,582 people · home $320,700
- Wrightsboro, NC11.0 mi · 5,526 people · home $255,700
- Bayshore, NC11.8 mi · 3,833 people · home $525,800
Rocky Point questions
Is Rocky Point, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rocky Point scores better for retirees than 5% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 52%. 15.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.1).
How much does a house cost in Rocky Point?
The median owner-occupied home in Rocky Point is valued at $163,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,514, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $971 a month.
What is the weather like in Rocky Point?
July highs average 89.0°F and January lows 33.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 63.5 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does Rocky Point get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rocky Point since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 13, 2004. 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)