Oriental is a small town of 968 in North Carolina, with a median household income of $51,563
and a 1.3% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is
10% below the national average.
Strengths:
Oriental stands out for an affordable cost of living, a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Oriental is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Oriental city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 89.9
Oriental's overall cost of living index is 89.9,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Oriental costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.
Metric
Oriental, NC
National Avg
Median Home Value
$392,600
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$1,121
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
83.0%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$51,563
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Oriental's violent crime rate is 275.0 per 100,000 residents
— 28% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
275.0 /100k
Property Crime
1131.5 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Oriental, NC
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
54.2%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
98.4%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Oriental sees average highs of 55.3°F in January
and 88.2°F in July,
with 60.1 inches of annual precipitation
and 1.1 inches of snow per year.
Oriental's cost of living index is 90, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Oriental roughly 10% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $392,600 and median rent is $1,121/month.
Oriental's violent crime rate is 275.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1131.5 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Oriental, NC has a population of 968, a median household income of $51,563, and an unemployment rate of 1.3%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Oriental averages 55.3°F in January and 88.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 60.1 inches
with about 1.1 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Oriental, NC is covered by 1 ZIP code: 28571.
The population of Oriental, North Carolina is 968 with a median age of 68.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Oriental: cost of living index 90 (100 = US average), median home $392,600, median household income $51,563, crime index 65 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Oriental side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
