The Town FilesWallace, North Carolina
Town in Duplin County · population 3,413 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $178,000
- Household income
- $51,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 43.6
Wallace is a town of 3,413 people in Duplin County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $178,000, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks easier by car than 84% of North Carolina towns.
How Wallace 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.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Wallace is worth $178,000, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $51,250, which is more affordable than 62% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $881 a month. 57.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wallace | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $178,000 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $881 | $969 |
| Median household income | $51,250 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 57.5% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.2% | — |
Who lives in Wallace
| People | Wallace | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.6 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.7% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.5% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 30.4% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 12.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.4% | — |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 18.4 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.7% | 89.5% |
Weather in Wallace
July highs average 90.7°F and January lows 30.8°F. About 57.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.7 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 62 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 71 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wallace since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 8, 1957 about 8.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 7, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 26 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 21, 2000.
Severe weather in Duplin County since 1996
Duplin County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3637: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3617: Hurricane Helene |
| August 6, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3608: Tropical Storm Debby |
| October 1, 2022 | Hurricane | EM-3586: Hurricane Ian |
| March 3, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4588: Tropical Storm Eta |
Jobs and pay in Duplin County
Duplin County had 19,429 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,993 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Wallace itself the ACS puts it at 8.7%.
Public schools in Wallace
2 public schools with 1,596 students, about 14.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wallace Elementary | PK-8 | 1,112 | 15.2 |
| Penderlea Elementary | K-8 | 484 | 13.8 |
Towns near Wallace
- Burgaw, NC13.4 mi · 3,088 people · home $242,200
- Warsaw, NC19.0 mi · 2,733 people · home $112,500
- Clinton, NC26.5 mi · 8,383 people · home $212,000
- Skippers Corner, NC28.7 mi · 2,912 people · home $247,500
- Hampstead, NC29.2 mi · 7,016 people · home $402,100
Wallace questions
Is Wallace, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wallace scores better for retirees than 44% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 56%. 15.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.6).
How much does a house cost in Wallace?
The median owner-occupied home in Wallace is valued at $178,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,250, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $881 a month.
What is the weather like in Wallace?
July highs average 90.7°F and January lows 30.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 57.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.7 inches of snow.
Does Wallace get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wallace since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 8, 1957. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)