Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every North Carolina ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools

C−WilliamstonBetter than 17% of districts in the state CHamletBetter than 29% of districts in the state

Health

DWilliamstonHealthier than 6% of U.S. towns DHamletHealthier than 7% of U.S. towns

7Williamston

11Hamlet

Lists won, of 19 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Lowest depressionHealth · 296 towns #28#214 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 297 towns #130#246 Most conserved landOutdoors · 276 towns #193#130 Best schoolsSchools · 252 towns #214#162 Lowest property taxCost of living · 297 towns #79#25 Shortest commuteGetting around · 297 towns #48#90 Highest graduation rateSchools · 284 towns #284#245 Most remote workersWork · 285 towns #221#195

Left end = #1 in North Carolina. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Williamston’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Williamston$850/mo

Typical home $134K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.35% · or rent about $684/mo · Housing →

Hamlet$800/mo

Typical home $132K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.99% · or rent about $640/mo · Housing →

The difference: $50 a month, about $600 a year, between Williamston and Hamlet.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

WilliamstonHamlet

Snow a year1″1″

January low33°F 33°F

July high89°F 92°F

Growing season (days)239d 220d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)82nd 42nd

Outdoors & history

WilliamstonHamlet

Trails0 mi 0 mi

Conserved land1.9%3.6%

Settled1779 —

National Register places7 2

Archive photos—6

Famous people born here—9

Community

WilliamstonHamlet

Library hours a week49 hrs 43 hrs

Colleges in town1 1

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

163 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

WilliamstonNC HamletNC

Williamston ↔ Hamlet163 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs North Carolina average

WilliamstonHamlet

People

Population 5,112Lowest 5,961Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -4.8%Highest NC: +9.5% -7.2%Lowest NC: +9.5%

Median age 45.4±6.7Highest 16% above NC 39.5±6Lowest about the NC average

Williamston and Hamlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 20.1%±4.5Lowest NC: 21.8% 22.7%±7Highest NC: 21.8%

Hamlet and Williamston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 22%±4.6Highest NC: 17.2% 17%±4.4Lowest NC: 17.2%

Williamston and Hamlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14.3%Lowest NC: 35.7% 15.5%Highest NC: 35.7%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.2%±1.3Lowest NC: 6.4% 8.6%±5.4Highest NC: 6.4%

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $38,738±$9kLowest 46% below NC $41,590±$4kHighest 43% below NC

Hamlet and Williamston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $107,100±$22kLowest 63% below NC $112,600±$20kHighest 61% below NC

Hamlet and Williamston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $684±$47Highest 44% below NC $640±$47Lowest 48% below NC

Williamston and Hamlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,448Highest 24% below NC $1,112Lowest 41% below NC

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 50.9%±16.1Highest NC: 48.9% 38.4%±15.3Lowest NC: 48.9%

Williamston and Hamlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 36.3%Highest NC: 13% 21.6%Lowest NC: 13%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 50.5%Lowest NC: 66.6% 52%Highest NC: 66.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1962Lowest 29 yrs older than NC 1963Highest 28 yrs older than NC

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 20% below NC 22 minHighest 12% below NC

Work from home 6.7%±4.9Lowest NC: 16.3% 8%±5.7Highest NC: 16.3%

Hamlet and Williamston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 21.9%Highest 9.1%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.8 mi 22.8 mi

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.61Highest 0.78Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Greenville (10%)Rockingham (15%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in HamletFew work in Williamston

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 1.9%Lowest 3.6%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.2 mi 0.2 mi

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 6Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 83.4Highest 71.3Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #214 of 252 in NC #162 of 252 in NC

School district Martin County SchoolsRichmond County Schools

High school in town None in townRichmond Early College High

Students per teacherat that high school — 37.7

North Carolina average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Williamston neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Williamston’s Town Square.

Hamlet neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hamlet’s Town Square.

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Towns like Williamston

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Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Williamston vs Hamlet

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Hamlet places higher on 11 of 19 NC lists

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

163 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Williamston and Hamlet

Towns like Williamston

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