Roanoke Rapids, NC: Local News, Events & Neighbors

Roanoke Rapids () is a city in Halifax County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 15,229 at the 2020 census and is the largest community in Halifax County. It is the principal city of the Roanoke Rapids Micropolitan Statistical Area, and is also an anchor city of the Rocky Mount-Wilson-Roanoke Rapids CSA, with a total population of 297,726 as of 2018.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Roanoke Rapids ranks

All →

#23Most affordable in NC #12Rent easiest to afford in NC #49Most walkable in NC All NC rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code27870

Area code252

Living in Roanoke Rapids

Housing in Roanoke Rapids

$133K▲ 2.7% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Roanoke Rapids home is worth about $133,000, up 2.7% in a year, 60% below the North Carolina typical home.

A seller's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market145

Sale-to-list96.9%

Sold in May14

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Roanoke Rapids

D⁻

Safety Grade D-

Roanoke Rapids reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 97% report less.

Violent crime per 1,000

Roanoke Rapids 8.3

North Carolina 3.3

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Roanoke Rapids 38.7

North Carolina 18.1

U.S. 15.5

Natural hazards: LowMostly inland flooding · higher than 39% of U.S. communitiesDetails →

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Health in Roanoke Rapids

C⁻

Health Grade C−

Healthier than 25% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 49% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with North Carolina

16worse than NC

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 16 are too close to call.

Conditions 7▼ 5 close Habits 2▼ 2 close Care 1▼ 6 close Mind 2▼ 3 close Everyday needs 4▼ 0 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

21.9%More older adults who have lost all their teethNC 13.9% · worse 21.7%More adults facing food insecurityNC 15.2% · worse 11.5%More adults facing a utility shut-offNC 8.1% · worse

Care nearby

Ecu Health North HospitalRoanoke Rapids · 4.2 mi · ER

Rural Health Group at Drugco ExpressRoanoke Rapids · 0.4 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalShortage · county-wide

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Roanoke Rapids · CMS · HRSAHealth in Roanoke Rapids →

Schools in Roanoke Rapids

All Roanoke Rapids schools →

C

School Grade C

The public schools Roanoke Rapids’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 71% of North Carolina’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.

See how Roanoke Rapids’s schools compare in NC →

DistrictRoanoke Rapids City SchoolsSchools5

Manning Elementary School CElementary · Grades PK–5 · 630 students Belmont Elementary School C-Elementary · Grades PK–5 · 614 students Chaloner Middle School C+Middle · Grades 6–8 · 605 students Roanoke Rapids High School B-High · Grades 9–12 · 776 students Roanoke Rapids Early College High AHigh · Grades 9–13 · 119 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within NC. Ratings are from neighbors.

Famous people from Roanoke RapidsWriters, athletes, leaders and more who were born in Roanoke Rapids.Meet them →