The Town FilesStem, North Carolina
Town in Granville County · population 960 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $240,500
- Household income
- $95,625
- Jan low / Jul high
- 30° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 32.1
Stem is a town of 960 people in Granville County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $240,500, above the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 99% of North Carolina towns, better for families than 87% of North Carolina towns, more of a college town than 73% of North Carolina towns.
How Stem 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 Stem is worth $240,500, above the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $95,625, which is more affordable than 91% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $925 a month. 97.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Stem | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $240,500 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $925 | $969 |
| Median household income | $95,625 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 97.7% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 2011 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Stem
| People | Stem | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.1 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.6% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 31.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.4% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.0% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 6.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.5% | — |
| Work from home | 18.3% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 30.6 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.6% | 89.5% |
Weather in Stem
July highs average 89.0°F and January lows 29.5°F. About 46.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.7 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 38 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 69 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Stem since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 20, 1998 about 4.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 27, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 32 times; the largest was 2.25 inches on July 1, 1990.
Severe weather in Granville County since 1996
Granville County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 Granville County
Granville County had 20,301 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,314 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Stem itself the ACS puts it at 1.1%.
Public schools in Stem
1 public school with 611 students, about 17.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Granville Central High | 9-12 | 611 | 17.0 |
Towns near Stem
- Butner, NC4.4 mi · 8,397 people · home $231,100
- Creedmoor, NC5.5 mi · 4,866 people · home $281,400
- Rougemont, NC10.6 mi · 1,001 people · home $298,500
- Oxford, NC11.5 mi · 8,628 people · home $196,200
- Gorman, NC11.6 mi · 1,104 people · home —
- Franklinton, NC16.4 mi · 2,456 people · home $249,100
- Youngsville, NC17.4 mi · 2,016 people · home $434,100
- Durham, NC18.0 mi · 283,506 people · home $392,800
Stem questions
Is Stem, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Stem scores better for retirees than 30% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 67%. 8.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.1).
How much does a house cost in Stem?
The median owner-occupied home in Stem is valued at $240,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $95,625, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $925 a month.
What is the weather like in Stem?
July highs average 89.0°F and January lows 29.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.6 inches of precipitation a year and 1.7 inches of snow.
Does Stem get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Stem since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 20, 1998. 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)