Chowan County Courthouse · National Register of Historic Places
Edenton’s story
314 years in pictures
19 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1712Edenton is settled
EdentonNC
A town of 4,494, settled in 1712. Home to 19 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Tnewman39 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
4,494
−10.9% since 2010
Typical home
$239K
+4.8% in a year
Household income
$38K
median
Median age
46.7
years
Jobs based here
3,429
A job hub
What makes Edenton stand out
The 3 things Edenton does most differently from other towns.
Chowan County CourthouseHistory
Settled in 1712
19 places on the National Register
Archive photos and papers going back 314 years.
B−School Grade
Schools
#89 for schools in NC
of 252 towns
School Grade B−.
100 U.S. towns● Edenton
Health
88% of U.S. towns are healthier
on CDC estimates
Better than NC on 3 measures, worse on 18.
A job hub
Every workday, about 2,895 people come to Edenton for work
Where Edenton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
3,429jobs based in Edenton
33%of working residents work in town
24 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Edenton’s report card
SchoolsB−Beats 50% of NC districtsHealthDHealthier than 12% of U.S. townsOutdoors1 miof trails · 7.7% conservedCommute24 miHalf of commuters travel lessHazards80/100Very high risk of storm & flood damageSafetyCLess crime than 26% of U.S. townsHousing$239K29% below the NC typical homeClimate88°/33°Summer high · winter low · 2″ snow
Now in Edenton
What neighbors are saying. Town Square →
Residents weigh in
Edenton is #1 of 284 in NC for “Cheapest rent”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Edenton’s Town Square.
TT Weaver · 1w · Town talk
Edenton Then and Now
I was thinking about the town's rich history, having been the first capital of North Carolina from 1722 to 1743, and I wondered what a typical day was…
Or start one of these
Weather
Forecast →80°
Clear
H 89° · L 70°
Local news
All →- Holmes vs J.H. Rose - Boys Varsity Basketball 12/22/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 30
- Holmes vs Away - Boys Junior Varsity Basketball 12/10/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 30
- Holmes vs J.H. Rose - Girls Varsity Basketball 12/22/2026 | Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 29
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Edenton. Another town gets a different order.
Schools
Edenton’s public schools outperform 50% of North Carolina districts
The public schools Edenton’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 50% of North Carolina’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
B−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| John A Holmes High | 9–12 | 554 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NC on state tests and graduationAll 1 schools →
Health
Healthier than 12% of U.S. towns
Edenton beats the North Carolina average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 18.
DHealth Grade
32 measures vs. North Carolina
3 better11 too close to call18 worse
| What stands out | Edenton | NC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 9.8% | 14.7% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 83.5% | 76.7% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 6.7% | 3.6% |
Vidant Chowan Hospital
1.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
14th
percentile among NC towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Outdoors
7.7% of Edenton is conserved land
0.9 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves.
7.7%conserved
7.7%
conserved · 272 of 3,550 acres
0.9 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
#63
most conserved land in NC
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Colonial Waterfront Park | 0.1 mi | 6 |
| 2. Pembroke Creek Park | — | 5 |
| 3. Queen Anne's Park | 0.1 mi | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Work & commute
About one in three working residents works right in Edenton
About one in 3 of Edenton’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Elizabeth City (5%), Greenville (3%) and Raleigh (3%). Half commute less than 24 miles.
33%work in town
Where working residents work
In Edenton33%
Elizabeth City5%
Greenville3%
Raleigh3%
Virginia Beach2%
24 mi
median commute distance
3,429
jobs based in Edenton
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Natural hazards
Very high risk, with hurricanes at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 80% of U.S. communities.
80risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesInland floodingHeat waves
150
paid flood claims since 1985
7
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 26% of U.S. towns
Edenton reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 74% report less. Within North Carolina, it does better than 58% of towns.
CSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Edenton2.4
North Carolina3.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Edenton10.9
North Carolina18.1
U.S.15.5
26th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
58th
percentile among NC towns
11
violent crimes reported in 2025
49
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Housing
A typical Edenton home is worth about $239K
The typical Edenton home is worth about $239,000, up 4.8% in a year, 29% below the North Carolina typical home.
$239KZillow home value
Typical home value
Edenton$239K
North Carolina$335K
+4.8%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Climate
Mild winters, hot summers
Edenton has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 33°, and about 2 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
2″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter35–54°
Spring50–70°
Summer70–87°
Fall54–72°
Nov 14
typical first frost
Mar 24
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
A shrinking town
Edenton has shrunk 10.9% since 2010
5,004 people in 2010; 4,494 today.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS
Landmarks
19 places in Edenton on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Edenton
Town in North Carolina, United States
The town of Edenton is located on the Albemarle Sound in North Carolina, United States, in the Inner Banks region. It is the county seat of Chowan County. The population was 4,397 at the 2020 census. Edenton served as the first capital of North Carolina, during the colonial era as the Province of North Carolina, though other than housing the governor's official residence, it did not have other governmental functions. It served as capital from 1722 to 1743, when the capital was moved to Brunswick. The town was the site of the Edenton Tea Party, a protest organized by several Edenton women in 1774 in solidarity with the organizers of the Boston Tea Party. It was the birthplace of Harriet Jaco…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1712
- Population
- 4,460
- Area
- 5.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 13 ft
- ZIP code
- 27932
- Area code
- 252
Edenton’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Edenton.
Cape ColonyEdenton
More about Edenton
Still missing for Edenton:archive photosupcoming events