Vance Mill Market, 2020
Vanceboro’s story
145 years in pictures
Census counts: 146 in 1880, 869 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2020 and 2 maps from 1902 on.
- 1881Vanceboro is settled
VanceboroNC
A town of 877, settled in 1881.
Clear Springs Plantation · Photo: NCSherrie · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
877
2025 Census estimate · +0.3% since 2020
Typical home
$196K
+2.1% in a year
Household income
$35K
median
Median age
37.6
years
Jobs based here
474
A job hub
Is Vanceboro a good place to live?
37% of residents live below the poverty line in Vanceboro, above both North Carolina’s towns (13%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 8 of the 291 North Carolina towns we compare have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Vanceboro. Vanceboro has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
A shrinking town
Vanceboro has shrunk 13% since 2010
1,005 counted in 2010 and 869 in 2020; an estimated 877 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Vanceboro: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Vanceboro, and how to reach them.
PowerDuke Energy15.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterVanceboro Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Vanceboro’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 hereCraven County Board of ElectionsCraven County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2019
ZIP code2858628586 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 Vanceboro.
Work & commute
Vanceboro has 1.6 jobs for every working resident, and 461 people commute in
Most working residents leave Vanceboro for work: only 4% work in town. Vanceboro’s average trip to work is 29 minutes, against 24 minutes in North Carolina’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Since 2013, Vanceboro has added 34 jobs, to 474 in 2023.
4%work in town
| Vanceboro | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.5% | 6.8% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Vanceboro4%
New Bern21%
Greenville8%
Raleigh4%
Jacksonville3%
23 mi
median commute distance
474
jobs based in Vanceboro
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Schools
The schools Vanceboro’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Craven County Board of Education school district. One of its 2 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanceboro-Farm Life ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 494 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
Vanceboro faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by hurricanes
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 98% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Vanceboro since 1999.
98risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesInland floodingTornadoes
1
paid flood claims since 1999
8
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Housing
Vanceboro’s typical home value is about $196K
The typical Vanceboro home is worth about $196,000, up 2.1% in a year, 41% below the North Carolina typical home. 47% of Vanceboro households own their home.
$196KZillow home value
Typical home value
Vanceboro$196K
North Carolina$332K
+2.1%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
In Vanceboro, expect mild winters and hot summers
Vanceboro has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Vanceboro is 90°F.
1″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter35–57°
Spring49–73°
Summer68–88°
Fall52–74°
Nov 15
typical first frost
Mar 23
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Vanceboro is
Vanceboro beats the North Carolina average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 17. 43% of adults have high blood pressure in Vanceboro.
| Vanceboro | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 38% | 35% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 19% | 19% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 14% | 14% |
32 measures vs. North Carolina
1 better14 too close to call17 worse
| What stands out | Vanceboro | NC |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 79.8% | 76.7% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 22.2% | 13.9% |
Carolina East Medical Center
14.2 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 Vanceboro
18pages on Vanceboro
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Vanceboro
About 6 of every 100 Vanceboro residents are enrolled in college, about the same as North Carolina.
Small town
877 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
About Vanceboro
Town in North Carolina, United States
Vanceboro is a town in Craven County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Vanceboro had a population of 869. Originally called Swift Creek, residents renamed the town for Zebulon B. Vance after he visited there during his 1876 campaign for governor. It is part of the New Bern, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 23 ft
- ZIP code
- 28586
- Area code
- 252
Questions about Vanceboro
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Vanceboro, NC a good place to live?
Vanceboro has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What is Vanceboro, NC known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Anthony Wright and Joseph Freeman.