5.7% of residents live below the poverty line in Kelly, below both the North Carolina town median (13%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Kelly’s concentration of trails is 1.2 miles per square mile, above both North Carolina’s towns (0.2) and U.S. towns (0.4). Kelly has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Elwell Ferry Sign, 2016

Kelly’s story

145 years in pictures

The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2016 and 2 maps from 1954 on.

1881Kelly is settled

Explore the history →

Small town

616 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns

East Arcadia · 6 mi Sandyfield · 7 mi Atkinson · 9 mi Bolton · 11 mi Northwest · 14 mi Lake Waccamaw · 15 mi

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Kelly.

Natural hazards

Top of a very high hazard risk in Kelly: hurricanes

88risk score of 100

FEMA expects more storm and flood damage in Kelly than in 88% of U.S. communities. 54% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from hurricanes, followed by inland flooding at 28%. Households here have drawn federal disaster aid in 6 declared disasters, most recently in 2018.

FEMA risk score

HurricanesInland floodingTornadoes

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageKelly’s hazards pageOpen the full Hazards page

What it facesVery high risk Flood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on record Past disasters6 federal disasters · Paid out in Kelly Get ready0.3 events a year, on average · Ready for hurricanes

FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Work & commute

Kelly has 0.0 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out

0%work in town

The typical household income for Kelly is $53,000. The top destinations are Elizabethtown (13%), Wilmington (6%) and Fayetteville (6%). The median commute is under 37 miles.

Where working residents work

In Kelly0%

Elizabethtown13%

Wilmington6%

Fayetteville6%

Raleigh6%

37 mi

median commute distance

jobs based in Kelly

A commuter town

jobs vs. working residents

Full pageKelly’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

The jobs here5 jobs based here · A commuter town Where people work0% work in Kelly Commute timesCommute times How far they goHalf commute less than 37 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

Kelly has mild winters and hot summers

90°summer high

For Kelly, the July high is 90°F.

Typical low → high °F

Winter35–58°

Spring50–74°

Summer69–89°

Fall53–75°

Nov 8

typical first frost

Mar 27

typical last frost

+1.0°

vs. the 20th-century average

90°

typical summer high

Full pageKelly’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

A year of weatherJuly highs 90°, January lows 33°Rain & snow54″ of rain a year · Snow is almost unheard of Heating & coolingBoth heating and cooling Then and now+1.0° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

How healthy Kelly is

Kelly: 41% of adults have obesity. On the CDC’s 32 measures, Kelly is ahead of North Carolina on 4 and behind on 12. In Kelly, 17% of adults have diabetes, and 12% binge drink.