Wayne County, North Carolina
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 44% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 41% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 1% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 68% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 59% of US counties
- bottom 8% for property crime
Wayne County is a county in North Carolina with about 117,000 residents. It grades B for getting around and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include airport distance, broadband access, and annual snowfall. It rates lower on school quality and property crime.
Official websitewaynegov.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Wet
cold
cool
comf.
warm
hot
warm
comf.
cool
68%58%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.4 in3.5 in
oppressive 82%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$54k31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$49kbetter than 26% of US counties
Home Value$152k46th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$899better than 35% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 58% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.76%better than 58% of US counties
Income Tax4.50%better than 62% of US counties
Sales Tax7.00%better than 61% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden8.94%better than 62% of US counties
Unemployment5.0%better than 44% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)44°F76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)81°F74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation52.2 in79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall1.9 inbetter than 72% of US counties
Sunny Days228 daysbetter than 39% of US counties
Summer Humidity71°Fbetter than 15% of US counties
Comfortable Days84 daysbetter than 63% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk90.4better than 9% of US counties
School Quality35.9better than 9% of US counties
Violent Crime1508/100kbetter than 15% of US counties
Property Crime2432/100kbetter than 8% of US counties
Community
Population117,48083rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age37.519th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5791st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9943rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1224th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)51.6%16th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)30.5%91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)12.7%77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.1%71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.0%64th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time22 minbetter than 69% of US counties
Walkability5.6/20better than 35% of US counties
Airport Distance55 mibetter than 77% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access86.9%better than 73% of US counties
Amenities Nearby3.83better than 60% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 35% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Wayne County an affordable place to live?
- Wayne County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $49k, better than 26% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Wayne County?
- The median home value in Wayne County is $152k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Wayne County?
- Median household income in Wayne County is $54k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Wayne County?
- Median gross rent in Wayne County is $899 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Wayne County safe?
- Wayne County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1508/100k (better than 15%). Property crime is 2432/100k.
- What is the weather like in Wayne County?
- Wayne County averages 81°F in July and 44°F in January, with 52.2 in of annual precipitation and about 228 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Wayne County?
- Public-school quality in Wayne County is below average, scoring better than 9% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Wayne County?
- The average one-way commute in Wayne County is 22 min.
Other counties in North Carolina
Explore North Carolina
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)