KenlyNC
A town of 2,359. A regional job hub with 1,070 jobs.
Population
2,359
+11.4% since 2010
Typical home
$256K
+2.3% in a year
Household income
$57K
median
Jobs based here
1,070
A job hub
What makes Kenly stand out The 3 things Kenly does most differently from other towns.
A growing town Kenly has grown 11.4% since 2010 1,339 people in 2010; 2,359 today.
What’s changed most in Kenly? 1,339 2010
1,491 2020
2,359 Today
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS
Residents weigh in
Live in Kenly? Is a C+ for health right?
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In the news: North Johnston vs Midway - Girls Varsity Basketball 02/03/2027 | Live… → How did your street fare in the last storm? → How do you get to work from Kenly? → Is Kenly still affordable for young families? →
Upcoming events
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The data Ordered by what stands out in Kenly. Another town gets a different order.
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Kenly Most working residents leave Kenly for work: only 7% work in town. The top destinations are Wilson (12%), Raleigh (12%) and Smithfield (8%). Half commute less than 25 miles.
7% work in town
Where working residents work In Kenly 7%
Wilson 12%
Raleigh 12%
Smithfield 8%
Durham 4%
25 mi
median commute distance
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Natural hazards
Low risk, with inland flooding at the top Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 23% of U.S. communities.
23 risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
23 Low risk Lower Higher Inland flooding Tornadoes Hurricanes
5
paid flood claims since 2016
7
federal disasters paid out here
Housing
A typical Kenly home is worth about $256K The typical Kenly home is worth about $256,000, up 2.3% in a year, 24% below the North Carolina typical home.
$256K Zillow home value
Typical home value Kenly $256K
North Carolina $335K
+2.3%
value change, 1 year
Climate
Mild winters, hot summers Kenly has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 31°, and about 2 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
2″ snow a winter
Typical low → high °F Winter 33–55°
Spring 48–72°
Summer 68–88°
Fall 51–73°
Nov 12
typical first frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
Health
Healthier than 37% of U.S. towns Kenly beats the North Carolina average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 10.
C+ Health Grade
32 measures vs. North Carolina
What stands out Kenly NC More older adults who have lost all their teeth 18.4% 13.9% More adults facing a utility shut-off 10% 8.1% More adults facing food insecurity 18.6% 15.2%
Wilson Medical Center
13.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
38th
percentile among NC towns
Outdoors
0.8% of Kenly is conserved land 0.2 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves.
0.8% conserved
Green: conserved land · dashed: trails · numbers: the places below 0.8%
conserved · 10 of 1,215 acres
0.2 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
Biggest places to walk Trails Acres 1. KAPARC — 21 2. Grady Park — 2 3. Lincoln Park — 1
A job hub Every workday, about 1,023 people come to Kenly for work Where Kenly’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
12% → Wilson Wilson 12%
12% → Raleigh Raleigh 12%
8% → Smithfield Smithfield 8%
4% → Durham Durham 4%
3% → Goldsboro Goldsboro 3%
3% → Cary Cary 3%
Kenly · 7% stay
1,070 jobs based in Kenly
7% of working residents work in town
25 mi median commute distance
How do you get to work from Kenly?
Census LEHD 2023
2011 · Nelson's Good Food and Motor Lodge, Kenly, N. C · Wikimedia Commons
Kenly’s story
Kenly in pictures
13 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives.
Explore the history →
Kenly is a town in Johnston and Wilson counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It was named for John R. Kenly, Northern Division Superintendent of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, who later became president of the railroad in 1913. As of the 2020 census, Kenly had a population of 1,491.
From Wikipedia , licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Population 1,491
Area 1.6 sq mi
Elevation 194 ft
ZIP code 27542
Area code 919 Copyright © 2026 TownTapestry · Stitching communities together · In loving memory of John Cullinane whose interest in maps and discovering new places was contagious. Share TownTapestry to support usBrowse by state · Privacy · Terms 
