The Town FilesVanceboro, North Carolina
Town in Craven County · population 869 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $148,400
- Household income
- $34,514
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 37.6
Vanceboro is a town of 869 people in Craven County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $148,400, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks quieter than 86% of North Carolina towns, better for first-time buyers than 73% of North Carolina towns, hipper than 73% of North Carolina towns.
How Vanceboro 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 Vanceboro is worth $148,400, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $34,514, which is more affordable than 32% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $492 a month. 46.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Vanceboro | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $148,400 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $492 | $969 |
| Median household income | $34,514 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 46.5% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.0% | — |
Who lives in Vanceboro
| People | Vanceboro | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.6 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.2% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 26.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.6% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 36.8% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 12.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 1.6% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 28.8 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.0% | 89.5% |
Weather in Vanceboro
July highs average 89.6°F and January lows 33.8°F. About 53.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.3 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 48 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 47 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Vanceboro since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 13, 1971 about 7.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on January 10, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 26 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 28, 2011.
Severe weather in Craven County since 1996
Craven County has been included in 32 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 Craven County
Craven County had 40,890 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,634 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Vanceboro itself the ACS puts it at 7.5%.
Public schools in Vanceboro
2 public schools with 1,278 students, about 15.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Craven High | 9-12 | 821 | 16.1 |
| Vanceboro-Farm Life Elementary | PK-5 | 457 | 14.3 |
Towns near Vanceboro
- Cypress Landing, NC14.6 mi · 1,257 people · home $440,000
- Chocowinity, NC14.9 mi · 722 people · home $114,300
- New Bern, NC15.3 mi · 31,291 people · home $240,100
- Trent Woods, NC15.7 mi · 4,074 people · home $343,100
- River Bend, NC16.2 mi · 2,902 people · home $266,100
- Grifton, NC17.0 mi · 2,448 people · home $152,700
- River Road, NC17.1 mi · 4,048 people · home $232,800
- Ayden, NC18.6 mi · 4,977 people · home $182,400
Vanceboro questions
Is Vanceboro, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Vanceboro scores better for retirees than 33% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 86%. 22.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.6).
How much does a house cost in Vanceboro?
The median owner-occupied home in Vanceboro is valued at $148,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $34,514, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $492 a month.
What is the weather like in Vanceboro?
July highs average 89.6°F and January lows 33.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.0 inches of precipitation a year and 1.3 inches of snow.
Does Vanceboro get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Vanceboro since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 13, 1971. 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)