Turkey Post Office, 2019
Turkey’s story
137 years in pictures
Census counts: 146 in 1920, a peak of 417 in 1980, 213 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and a map from 1984 on.
- 1889Turkey is settled
TurkeyNC
A town of 227, settled in 1889.
Photo: Gerry Dincher · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
227
2025 Census estimate · +5.1% since 2020
Typical home
$139K
+15.5% in a year
Median age
26.4
years
Jobs based here
5
A commuter town
Is Turkey a good place to live?
Turkey’s average trip to work is 35 minutes, above both North Carolina’s towns (24 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Of the 291 North Carolina towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Turkey. Turkey has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
227 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 Turkey: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Turkey, and how to reach them.
PowerFour County Elec Member15.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of Turkey water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers92% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Turkey’s trash rules yet
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 hereSampson County Board of ElectionsSampson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2025
ZIP code2839328393 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 Turkey.
Housing
A typical Turkey home is worth about $139K
The typical Turkey home is worth about $139,000, up 15.5% in a year, 58% below the North Carolina typical home. At $847 a month, Turkey’s median rent is where North Carolina’s towns sit at $1,085 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month. 81% of households own their home in Turkey.
$139KZillow home value
| Turkey | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 81% | 67% | 73% |
| Median rent | $847 a month | $1,085 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Turkey$139K
North Carolina$332K
+15.5%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
Very high risk in Turkey, with hurricanes at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 81% of U.S. communities.
81risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesInland floodingStrong wind
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
Turkey has 0.0 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
5.4% of Turkey residents live below the poverty line. The top destinations are Clinton (20%), Raleigh (5%) and Warsaw (4%). Half commute less than 18 miles.
0%work in town
Where working residents work
In Turkey0%
Clinton20%
Raleigh5%
Warsaw4%
Fayetteville3%
18 mi
median commute distance
5
jobs based in Turkey
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Turkey has mild winters and hot summers
Turkey has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Turkey is 90°F.
2″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter34–56°
Spring49–73°
Summer68–88°
Fall51–74°
Nov 7
typical first frost
Mar 26
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Turkey is
Turkey beats the North Carolina average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 17.
| Turkey | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 38% | 35% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 19% | 19% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 24% | 25% |
32 measures vs. North Carolina
1 better14 too close to call17 worse
| What stands out | Turkey | NC |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.5% | 76.7% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 22.1% | 13.9% |
Sampson Regional Medical Center
8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Turkey
17pages on Turkey
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Turkey
Sampson Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Clinton10 mi$2,877 in-state tuitionJames Sprunt Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Kenansville12.2 mi$2,592 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Turkey residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across North Carolina.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Turkey for work
Where Turkey’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
5jobs based in Turkey
0%of working residents work in town
18 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Turkey
Town in North Carolina, United States
Turkey is a town in Sampson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 213 at the 2020 census. Turkey is located 8 miles east of Clinton.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 144 ft
- ZIP code
- 28393
- Area code
- 910
Questions about Turkey
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Turkey, NC a good place to live?
Turkey has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.