Roanoke Rapids is a city in Halifax County, North Carolina, home to about 14,856 people across 9.9 square miles. Its ZIP code is 27870, and parts of 27890 are in Roanoke Rapids too.
Homes sold for a median of $126 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.
Mostly Roanoke Rapids; also South Rosemary
Mostly Weldon; part is in Roanoke Rapids
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Roanoke Rapids. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Roanoke Rapids’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)73 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Pitt-Greenville Airport (PGV)58 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Raleigh, NC69 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA282 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Roanoke Rapids; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Roanoke Rapids had 15,229 residents in the 2020 census, down 10% since 2000.
It’s the 73rd largest of 771 towns in North Carolina by population.
Halifax County grew from 30,793 residents in 1900 to 48,622 in 2020.
Halifax County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 89°F in summer, and winter lows average 30°F. About 49.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Roanoke Rapids, NC weather station (2 miles away).
12,340 jobs at 934 businesses in Halifax County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
253 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Roanoke Rapids.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 30 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 44 |
| Dentists | 23 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 59 |
| Mental health providers | 69 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 21 |
| Optometrists | 4 |
| Chiropractors | 3 |
| Pharmacies | 15 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (6 nearby)
Grocery stores (5 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums
Counts are within about 2.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Roanoke Rapids City Schools, Halifax County Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belmont Elementary SchoolRoanoke Rapids | Pre-K–5 | 614 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| Everetts Elementary S.T.E.M. AcademyRoanoke Rapids | Pre-K–5 | 254 | Public | 4.1 mi |
| Manning Elementary SchoolRoanoke Rapids | Pre-K–5 | 630 | Public | 1.6 mi |
| Chaloner Middle SchoolRoanoke Rapids | 6–8 | 605 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| William R Davie Middle S.T.E.M. AcademyRoanoke Rapids | 6–8 | 243 | Public | 4.1 mi |
| Roanoke Rapids Early College HighRoanoke Rapids | 9–13 | 119 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| Roanoke Rapids High SchoolRoanoke Rapids | 9–12 | 776 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halifax AcademyRoanoke Rapids | Pre-K–12 | 283 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 3.3 mi |
| Victory Christian AcademyRoanoke Rapids | Pre-K–12 | 184 | Baptist | 2.0 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with South Rosemary, Weldon and South Weldon.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.