Tarboro is a town in and the county seat of Edgecombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Rocky Mount metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the town had a population of 10,721. The town is on the opposite bank of the Tar River from Princeville. It is also part of the Rocky Mount-Wilson-Roanoke Rapids CSA. Tarboro is located near the western edge of North Carolina's coastal plain. It has many historical churches, some dating from as early as 1742. Tarboro is also home to the headquarters of World Cat Boats, a catamaran boat manufacturer with over 80,000 customers across the globe. Tarboro was chartered by British colonists in 1760. Located in a bend of the Tar River,…

Official town website ↗

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

How Tarboro ranks

All →

#11Lowest depression in NC #58Most affordable in NC #64Shortest commute in NC All NC rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code27886

Area code252

Living in Tarboro

Housing in Tarboro

$157K▼ 1.1% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Tarboro home is worth about $157,000, down 1.1% in a year, 53% below the North Carolina typical home.

A balanced market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market124

Sale-to-list97%

Sold in May7

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Tarboro

Safety Grade D

Tarboro reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 89% report less. Within North Carolina, it does better than 33% of towns.

Violent crime per 1,000

Tarboro 3.9

North Carolina 3.3

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Tarboro 20

North Carolina 18.1

U.S. 15.5

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

Work & commute in Tarboro

Full picture →

About one in 4 of Tarboro’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Rocky Mount (13%), Greenville (8%) and Raleigh (7%). Half commute less than 19 miles.

Rocky Mount

13%

Greenville

Raleigh

Wilson

27%Work in townlive and work in Tarboro 19 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 6,772Jobs based herea job hub

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Tarboro →

Health in Tarboro

C⁻

Health Grade C−

Healthier than 21% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 51% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with North Carolina

2better than NC·16worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 14 are too close to call.

Conditions 8▼ 4 close Habits 1▲ 1▼ 2 close Care 1▲ 1▼ 5 close Mind 2▼ 3 close Everyday needs 4▼ 0 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

11.1%Fewer binge drinkersNC 14.7% · better 81.7%More adults treating high blood pressureNC 76.7% · better 5.5%More adults who have had a strokeNC 3.6% · worse

Care nearby

Vidant Edgecombe HospitalTarboro · 1.2 mi · ER

Freedom Hill Community Health CenterTarboro · 2.8 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 Tarboro · CMS · HRSAHealth in Tarboro →

Natural hazards in Tarboro

Moderate

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 56% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🌀 Hurricanes🌪️ Tornadoes

94Does Tarboro flood?paid flood claims since 1979 6Disasters that paid out herefederal disasters sent FEMA money to Tarboro

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Tarboro →

Climate in Tarboro

Full climate →

Tarboro has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 31°, and about 5 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

54° / 33°Winter

72° / 47°Spring

88° / 67°Summer

73° / 50°Fall

How much snow does Tarboro get?About 5 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Nov 9, with the last in spring around Mar 30.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+0.9° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Tarboro →

Schools in Tarboro

All Tarboro schools →

C⁻

School Grade C-

The public schools Tarboro’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 81% of North Carolina’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.

See how Tarboro’s schools compare in NC →

DistrictEdgecombe County Public SchoolsSchools9

Martin Millennium Academy DElementary · Grades K–8 · 548 students Stocks Elementary D-Elementary · Grades PK–5 · 389 students W A Pattillo Middle D-Middle · Grades 6–8 · 289 students Tarboro High DHigh · Grades 9–12 · 496 students Edgecombe Early College High AHigh · Grades 9–13 · 171 students NE Carolina Prep School Remote AcademyHigh · Grades 9–12

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.