Aurora Phosphate Mine crossing, 2023
Aurora’s story
154 years in pictures
Census counts: 81 in 1880, a peak of 698 in 1980, 455 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2023.
- 1872Aurora is settled
Population
454
2025 Census estimate · −0.2% since 2020
Typical home
$132K
−0.5% in a year
Household income
$46K
median
Median age
42.5
years
Jobs based here
155
Balanced
Is Aurora a good place to live?
26% of residents live below the poverty line in Aurora, where North Carolina’s towns sit at 13% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Among 291 North Carolina towns, just 3 have a lower average trip to work than Aurora. Aurora has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
454 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Aurora: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Aurora, and how to reach them.
PowerDuke Energy15.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterAurora Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers89% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpMondayTrash dayTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn North Carolina you can register online until 25 days before Election Day, in person with same-day registration during the early voting period, or by mail (postmarked 25 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereBeaufort County Board of ElectionsBeaufort County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code2780627806 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Aurora.
Housing
Aurora’s typical home value is about $132K
The typical Aurora home is worth about $132,000, about the same as a year ago, 60% below the North Carolina typical home. 64% of households own their home in Aurora, close to North Carolina’s towns (67%) and below U.S. towns (73%).
$132KZillow home value
Typical home value
Aurora$132K
North Carolina$332K
−0.5%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Schools
The schools Aurora’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Beaufort County Schools. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| S W Snowden ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 117 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
Aurora faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by hurricanes
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 97% of U.S. communities. Since 1998, 29 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Aurora.
97risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesInland flooding
29
paid flood claims since 1998
8
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Aurora has mild winters and hot summers
Aurora has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Aurora’s July high is 89°F.
89°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter36–57°
Spring50–73°
Summer69–88°
Fall53–74°
Dec 5
typical first frost
Mar 8
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
89°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Aurora
Most working residents leave Aurora for work: only 3% work in town. The median household income in Aurora is $46,000. Jobs based in Aurora fell to 155 in 2023, 58 fewer than in 2013.
3%work in town
| Aurora | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $46,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.1% | 6.8% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Aurora3%
New Bern12%
Greenville7%
Washington4%
Raleigh3%
33 mi
median commute distance
155
jobs based in Aurora
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
Aurora stands out in North Carolina and nationally, with more of its adults who have diabetes
21% of adults have diabetes in Aurora. Only 3 of the 290 North Carolina towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Aurora. 44% of adults have obesity in Aurora.
| Aurora | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 13% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 52% | 38% | 35% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 19% | 19% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 15% | 16% |
32 measures vs. North Carolina
3 better8 too close to call21 worse
| What stands out | Aurora | NC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 10.7% | 14.7% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 83.5% | 76.7% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 29.5% | 13.9% |
Carolina East Medical Center
20.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
Aurora has set aside 0% of its land for conservation
0.0 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 656 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Aurora Marina Acquisition | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 12 attractions →Tryon Palace and 2 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Aurora. Close and well known come first.
20 mi
in town
19 miSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Tryon Palace: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Aurora Fossil Museum: RadioFan, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Masonic Temple and Theater: Archie A. Biggs, Photographer, Public domain
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Aurora
19pages on Aurora
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Aurora; the nearest are
Pamlico Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Grantsboro16.4 mi$1,867 in-state tuitionEast Carolina UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Greenville38.8 mi$7,361 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Aurora residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across North Carolina.
About Aurora
Town in North Carolina, United States
Aurora is a town in Beaufort County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 455 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 3 ft
- ZIP code
- 27806
- Area code
- 252
Questions about Aurora
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Aurora, NC a good place to live?
Aurora has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.