Median Income
$36,490
household / year
Median Home Value
$100,800
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$736
gross / month
Cost of Living
88
national avg = 100

Is St. Pauls, NC a Good Place to Live?

St. Pauls is a small town of 2,261 in North Carolina, with a median household income of $36,490 and a 9.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 88 (US average = 100), which is 12% below the national average.

Strengths: St. Pauls stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether St. Pauls is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All St. Pauls 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: 88.1

St. Pauls's overall cost of living index is 88.1, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in St. Pauls costs roughly 12% less than the average American city.

Metric St. Pauls, NC National Avg
Median Home Value $100,800 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $736 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 55.3% 65.9%
Median Household Income $36,490 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Higher than Average

St. Pauls's violent crime rate is 487.8 per 100,000 residents — 28% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
487.8 /100k
Property Crime
3756.1 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

St. Pauls is served primarily by Public Schools of Robeson County. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric St. Pauls, NC National Avg
School District Public Schools of Robeson County
Elementary Schools 22
Middle Schools 8
High Schools 6
Student/Teacher Ratio 15.9:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 8.3% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 70.5% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

St. Pauls sees average highs of 54.4°F in January and 90.8°F in July, with 48.9 inches of annual precipitation and 0.4 inches of snow per year.

MetricSt. Pauls, NC
Average High — January54.4°F
Average High — July90.8°F
Annual Precipitation48.9"
Annual Snowfall0.4"

Demographics

MetricSt. Pauls, NCNational Avg
Population2,261
Median Age42.638.9
Unemployment Rate9.9%3.7%
Avg Commute Time19.5 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)42.0%59.3%
Black or African American25.9%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino25.8%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1827.3%22.2%
65 and over22.1%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in St. Pauls

St. Pauls, NC is covered by 1 ZIP code:

St. Pauls vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

St. Pauls's cost of living index is 88, where 100 is the national average. That makes St. Pauls roughly 12% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $100,800 and median rent is $736/month.
St. Pauls's violent crime rate is 487.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 3756.1 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in St. Pauls are operated by Public Schools of Robeson County. The district has 22 elementary, 8 middle, and 6 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.9:1. 8.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
St. Pauls, NC has a population of 2,261, a median household income of $36,490, and an unemployment rate of 9.9%. 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.
St. Pauls averages 54.4°F in January and 90.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 48.9 inches with about 0.4 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
St. Pauls, NC is covered by 1 ZIP code: 28384.
The population of St. Pauls, North Carolina is 2,261 with a median age of 42.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in St. Pauls: cost of living index 88 (100 = US average), median home $100,800, median household income $36,490, crime index 149 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare St. Pauls side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.