Grifton train station, 2020
Grifton’s story
143 years in pictures
Census counts: 121 in 1890, 2,448 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1883Grifton is incorporated
St. John's Episcopal Church · Photo: Tradewinds · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
2,539
2025 Census estimate · +4% since 2020
Typical home
$186K
+4.9% in a year
Household income
$37K
median
Median age
35.6
years
Jobs based here
221
A commuter town
TownGrade
D
#250 of 286 in NC
Is Grifton a good place to live?
Grifton grades D overall, ranked 250th of 286 in North Carolina, mostly because of incomes and health. The median household income is $37K, and 33% of residents live below the poverty line. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 89% of the country. What it does well: a typical home costs about $186K, 3.2 years of the Greenville metro’s $58K median household income. 33% of residents live below the poverty line in Grifton, where North Carolina’s towns sit at 13% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Only 8 of the 290 North Carolina towns we compare have a lower share of households owning their home than Grifton. Grifton has 1 place on the National Register.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Grifton for work
Where Grifton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
221jobs based in Grifton
3%of working residents work in town
17 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Grifton grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within North Carolina), ordered by how far Grifton is from typical.
Jobs & incomeD−Open →HealthUNC Lenoir Health Care 10 miles awayDOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC−Open →SchoolsC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.1 of 20; 20.5% of households have no car; 2.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →Cost of livingB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trails; 2% conserved landC−Open →HistoryIncorporated 1883; 1 notable person born hereC−Open →Civic life2.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 35.6; 15% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Grifton: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Grifton, and how to reach them.
PowerDuke Energy15.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of Grifton water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpThursdayTown’s haulerTown 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 herePitt County Board of ElectionsPitt County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2019
ZIP codes28530, 2851328530 97% · 28513 3%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 Grifton.
Grifton is healthier than towns with similar incomes and sends most of its workers to Greenville and beyond, but it has poverty well above the North Carolina rate.
HealthD
For health, Grifton earns a D
Against the 1,583 U.S. towns with household incomes like Grifton’s, it is healthier than 60%, so its D isn’t only a matter of income.
17% of adults have diabetes in Grifton. Grifton beats the North Carolina average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 18. 44% of adults have obesity in Grifton.
11%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Grifton | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 13% | 12% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 36% | 35% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 38% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 15% | 16% |
32 measures vs. North Carolina
2 better12 too close to call18 worse
| What stands out | Grifton | NC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 12.2% | 14.7% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.7% | 76.7% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 26.7% | 13.9% |
UNC Lenoir Health Care
10 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
10th
percentile among NC towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsC+
Grifton’s schools rank behind 58% of North Carolina districts
Its public schools are run by the Pitt County Schools. Its one school is below.
42%of NC districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| GriftonLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 395 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NC on state tests and graduation
HousingCost of living grade B−
For cost of living, Grifton earns a B−
Home values rose 40% in five years, to about $186K, against 22% across North Carolina.
Typical home values rose 4.9% in the year to September 2026.
$186KZillow home value
Typical home value
Grifton$186K
North Carolina$332K
+4.9%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
Most working residents commute out of Grifton
Grifton has 221 jobs for its 936 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out.
Most working residents leave Grifton for work: only 3% work in town. Since 2013, Grifton has lost 60 jobs, to 221 in 2023. Only 10 of the 290 North Carolina towns we compare have a lower median household income than Grifton.
3%work in town
| Grifton | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $37,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.4% | 6.8% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Grifton3%
Greenville26%
Kinston10%
Raleigh5%
Charlotte2%
17 mi
median commute distance
221
jobs based in Grifton
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 43% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
High risk in Grifton, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 71% of U.S. communities. Since 1996, 66 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Grifton.
71risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesTornadoes
66
paid flood claims since 1996
7
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Grifton, expect mild winters and hot summers
Grifton has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Grifton is 90°F.
90°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter34–56°
Spring49–73°
Summer68–88°
Fall52–74°
Nov 11
typical first frost
Mar 25
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
90°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Safety
Crime reported in Grifton
Grifton's reported crime rate is well below North Carolina's. Grifton’s property crime rate is 6.8 per 1,000 residents. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| Grifton | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2022) | 6.8 per 1,000 residents | 24.8 | 14.1 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2022) | 2.4 per 1,000 residents | 3.6 | 1.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Grifton2.4
North Carolina4.1
U.S.4
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Grifton6.8
North Carolina21
U.S.20
6
violent crimes reported in 2022
17
property crimes reported in 2022
FBI crime data, 2022 · crimes reported to police
OutdoorsC−
Grifton has set aside 2.4% of its land for conservation
0.1 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves.
2.4%conserved
2.4%
conserved · 41 of 1,706 acres
0.1 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Town Park | — | 2 |
| 2. Civic Center | — | 1 |
| 3. Wrc Grifton Access Area | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Grifton
20pages on Grifton
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 58% of NC districts · 1 schoolSafety2.4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2022)HealthDBetter than NC on 2 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB−$186K typical home · up 4.9% in a yearWork & commuteD−$37K median household income · 221 jobs hereNatural hazardsC−FEMA risk higher than 71% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Grifton
Pitt Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Winterville11.9 mi$2,580 in-state tuitionLenoir Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Kinston12.4 mi$2,578 in-state tuition
About 7 of every 100 Grifton residents are enrolled in college, about the same as North Carolina.
About Grifton
Town in North Carolina, United States
Grifton is a town in Lenoir and Pitt counties, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,448 at the 2020 census. The Pitt County portion of the town is a part of the Greenville Metropolitan Statistical Area located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 26 ft
- ZIP code
- 28530
- Area code
- 252
Grifton’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Grifton.
AydenGrifton
How the neighbors grade
Grifton reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Grifton with a neighbor →
Questions about Grifton
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Grifton, NC a good place to live?
Grifton grades D overall, better than 6% of U.S. towns and #250 of 286 in North Carolina. It grades D for health and C+ for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Grifton, NC expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.