The Town Files

Archer Lodge, North Carolina

Town in Johnston County · population 4,797 (2020 Census)

Map: where Archer Lodge is in North CarolinaArcher Lodge
Median home
$324,500
Household income
$91,188
Jan low / Jul high
31° / 90°
Snow a year
3 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
14
Median age
42.3

Archer Lodge is a town of 4,797 people in Johnston County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $324,500, above the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks more of a college town than 99% of North Carolina towns, better for families than 97% of North Carolina towns, better for first-time buyers than 88% of North Carolina towns.

Archer Lodge in our rankings:

How Archer Lodge ranks

Percentile among North Carolina towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Carolina towns.

Archer Lodge lifestyle rankings vs other North Carolina townsRetirement14th pctFamilies97th pctQuiet17th pctWalkability43rd pctFirst-time buyers88th pctYoung professionals45th pctVibrancy43rd pctHip & trendy23rd pctCollege town99th pctUpscale86th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving13th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Archer Lodge is worth $324,500, above the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $91,188, which is more affordable than 57% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $1,458 a month. 79.7% of households own their home.

Archer Lodge vs Johnston County vs typical North Carolina townArcher LodgeJohnston CountyTypical North Carolina townHome value$324,500$305,600$228,900Household income$91,188$83,384$60,458Monthly rent$1,458$1,146$969
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of North Carolina towns with 500+ people.
HousingArcher LodgeTypical North Carolina town
Median home value$324,500$228,900
Median rent$1,458$969
Median household income$91,188$60,458
Home value ÷ income3.6×3.7×
Homeownership79.7%69.5%
Median year built19961984
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Archer Lodge

PeopleArcher LodgeTypical North Carolina town
Median age42.341.1
Age 65 and over17.5%19.0%
Under 1825.7%—
Bachelor's degree or higher36.9%24.5%
Below the poverty line17.4%14.3%
Veterans3.7%—
Born outside the U.S.7.4%—
Work from home22.7%9.8%
Average commute32.0 min24.6 min
Homes with broadband93.2%89.5%

Weather in Archer Lodge

July highs average 90.1°F and January lows 31.3°F. About 49.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.2 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 48 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 61 nights at or below freezing.

Archer Lodge monthly temperatures and precipitation30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32° freezing53°31°Jan56°31°Feb64°38°Mar73°47°Apr80°56°May87°65°Jun90°70°Jul88°68°Aug82°63°Sep72°50°Oct63°39°Nov56°34°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.72.23.10.14.10.13.43.84.15.94.46.43.83.43.70.8
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Clayton 3E station (3.6 mi away); snow from Clayton Wtp (6.0 mi).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Archer Lodge since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on November 23, 1992 about 9.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 26, 2013.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Archer Lodge by decade21950s01960s01970s11980s41990s52000s22010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 43 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 24, 1986.

Severe weather in Johnston County since 1996

Storm events in Johnston County since 1996 by typeHail140Flood7Tornado20Lightning15Heavy Rain17Flash Flood72Strong Wind18Winter Storm29
NOAA Storm Events Database, Johnston County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 20 deaths recorded.

Johnston County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
January 24, 2026Winter StormEM-3637: Severe Winter Storm
September 26, 2024Tropical StormEM-3617: Hurricane Helene
August 6, 2024Tropical StormEM-3608: Tropical Storm Debby
October 1, 2022HurricaneEM-3586: Hurricane Ian
August 2, 2020HurricaneEM-3534: Hurricane Isaias

Jobs and pay in Johnston County

Johnston County had 61,005 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,305 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Archer Lodge itself the ACS puts it at 0%.

Largest industries in Johnston CountyManufacturing8,227 jobs · $89,254Retail7,897 jobs · $33,715Health care & social assistan…7,320 jobs · $59,523Hotels & restaurants6,473 jobs · $21,285Construction5,758 jobs · $62,837Administrative & support4,632 jobs · $46,755
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Johnston County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Johnston 3.2%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Archer Lodge

Archer Lodge questions

Is Archer Lodge, North Carolina a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Archer Lodge scores better for retirees than 14% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 17%. 17.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.3).

How much does a house cost in Archer Lodge?

The median owner-occupied home in Archer Lodge is valued at $324,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $91,188, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,458 a month.

What is the weather like in Archer Lodge?

July highs average 90.1°F and January lows 31.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.9 inches of precipitation a year and 3.2 inches of snow.

Does Archer Lodge get tornadoes?

14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Archer Lodge since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on November 23, 1992. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Archer Lodge's Census boundary (GEOID 3701760). Comparisons use the median of North Carolina towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.