Two Pitt County towns have been found to be some of the most affordable communities in North Carolina. In a new study by SmartAsset, an online destination for consumer-focused financial information, Winterville and Ayden are ranked in the top 10 most affordable municipalities in North Carolina. Winterville is ranked as the third most affordable and Ayden is ranked as the 8th most affordable.
The study looked at each municipality’s average closing costs, annual property tax, annual homeowner’s insurance, annual mortgage payment, median income, and affordability index.
According to SmartAsset, analysts measured the total cost of owning a home (using the average home cost) in each city with a population greater than 5,000 throughout a five-year period. That five-year cost was then measured as a proportion of median household income in each place to determine affordability. The most affordable places were those in which total housing costs were smallest compared to the median income in each area. Each city was then indexed on a scale from 0 to 100, with the most affordable location receiving a score of 100.
Winterville and Ayden are two of 10 municipalities in Pitt County. Residents get a lot of bang for their buck when it comes to housing and proximity to award-winning education and superior health care in the County. Both municipalities are growing faster than ever before and their downtown areas are thriving with dining, shopping, and entertainment options.
The Town of Winterville is a full-service municipality is located immediately south of Greenville in the central coastal plain region. According to the Town, its current population of 8,586 is growing at a rate of approximately 1,000 new residents per year. The Town of Winterville sponsors a variety of programs and activities which contribute the relaxed, family- oriented lifestyle for which the community is becoming increasingly well known. It’s also home to the Winterville Watermelon Festival that takes place every August. To learn more about the Town of Winterville, click here.
The Town of Ayden encompasses over three square miles and is home to more than 5,000 residents. The Town, located six miles south of Greenville, is continuing to prepare itself for new growth as Pitt County continues to develop as a major industrial and economic center for eastern North Carolina. Ayden is also home to the “Kings of Q” BBQ Cook-Off & Festival which takes place every May and the Ayden Collard Festival which happens annually in September.
“The Ayden Town Council and its employees strive to make Ayden the best it can be," shared Mallory Denham, director of economic development for the Town of Ayden. To learn more about the Town of Ayden, click here.
The study by SmartAsset was supported with data from the US Census Bureau 2020 American Community Survey, National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and government websites as well as SmartAsset research.