What it's like to live in Havelock
Havelock is a small city in North Carolina with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Havelock deals with household incomes below the national average, college degree attainment below the national average, above-average rainfall, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Low college degree attainment
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Havelock compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Havelock
Based on Havelock's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,560
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $51,200 a year
- 44% of Havelock renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$41,540
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $20,770
- Homes cost 3.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,280/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,280 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $207,700. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $207,700 · 44% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.9% county unemployment
Unemployment in Craven County is 3.9%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Craven County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 42% below US
191 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 903/100k · Havelock Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 30% below US
18 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 18.2 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 89°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 38°F. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 48% below US
19% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
9 public schools inside the boundary
There are 9 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Cape Lookout National Seashore (32 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Havelock's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and college degree attainment below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,280/mo) equals 26% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Havelock
All North Carolina guides →Moving to Piney Green →
27 mi away · pop. 14,078
Rent $1,202/mo · Income $72,177
Compare with Havelock →Moving to Jacksonville →
31 mi away · pop. 71,279
Rent $1,321/mo · Income $57,697
Compare with Havelock →Not sure Havelock is the one?
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