Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Hamlet earns a D, ranked 247th of 286 in North Carolina, mostly because of incomes and health. The median household income is $42K, and 22% of residents live below the poverty line. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 93% of the country. What it does well: homes are within reach, about $128K for a typical one, or 2.8 years of the Rockingham area’s $45K median household income. Hamlet is home to Richmond Community College. Only 5 of the 234 North Carolina towns we compare have a lower typical home value than Hamlet. Hamlet has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Seaboard Air Line Passenger Depot and Main Street Commercial Historic District.
Where Hamlet beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within North Carolina), ordered by how far Hamlet is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 639 in 1900, 6,025 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1900 and 4 maps from 1949 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hamlet, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Hamlet.
Hamlet trades lower home prices for longer drives to work and is healthier than towns with similar incomes, but it has household incomes well below the North Carolina norm.
Homes are within reach (about $128K for the typical one, B+ for cost of living), but half of working residents commute more than 23 miles. At 2.8 years of the Rockingham area’s $45K median household income, the typical home (about $128K) costs less against local pay than in 91% of North Carolina towns; that ratio is one input to its B+ for cost of living.
Hamlet’s median rent is $640 a month, below both the North Carolina town median ($1,086 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). 52% of households own their home in Hamlet. The typical Hamlet home is worth about $128,000, about the same as a year ago, 62% below the North Carolina typical home.
| Hamlet | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 52% | 67% | 73% |
| Median rent | $640 a month | $1,086 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by the Richmond County Schools. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairview Heights ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 480 | B− |
| Richmond Early College HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 294 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NC on state tests and graduation
Against the 2,878 U.S. towns with household incomes like Hamlet’s, it is less healthy than 66%, so its D isn’t only a matter of income.
17% of adults have diabetes in Hamlet, above both North Carolina’s towns (13%) and U.S. towns (12%). 26% of Hamlet adults worry about having enough food. Hamlet beats the North Carolina average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 19.
| Hamlet | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 13% | 12% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 15% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 19% | 19% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 38% | 35% |
| What stands out | Hamlet | NC |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 14.1% | 8.1% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 25.8% | 15.2% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 13.5% | 8.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Hamlet’s July high is 91°F. Hamlet has mild winters and warm summers.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Most working residents leave Hamlet for work: only 9% work in town. Since 2013, Hamlet has added 170 jobs, to 1,860 in 2023. The average trip to work in Hamlet is 22 minutes.
| Hamlet | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $42,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 9.1% | 6.8% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 58% of U.S. communities. Since 2016, 3 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Hamlet.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0.2 miles of trail in 6 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Hamlet City Lake, at 72 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hamlet City Lake | — | 72 |
| 2. Hamlet City Fair Grounds | — | 11 |
| 3. City of Hamlet Baseball Complex | 0.1 mi | 8 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
1 within 15 miles of the center of Hamlet
About 9 of every 100 Hamlet residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across North Carolina.
2 places in Hamlet on the National Register of Historic Places.
12 notable people were born in Hamlet.
City in North Carolina, United States
Hamlet is a city in Richmond County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 6,042 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
One town shares a border with Hamlet.
| Town | NC rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamlet | #247 | D | B+ | — | C | D |
| Dobbins Heights | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Hamlet reports no FBI crime data of its own. Dobbins Heights isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Hamlet with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Hamlet grades D overall, better than 7% of U.S. towns and #247 of 286 in North Carolina. It grades D for health and C for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
12 notable people were born here, including John Coltrane and Melvin Ingram.
