Stem is a town in Granville County, North Carolina, home to about 1,249 people across 1.5 square miles. Its ZIP code is 27581.
Homes sold for a median of $193 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Stem. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Stem’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Stem well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)22 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Durham, NC18 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA327 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Stem; 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.
Stem had 960 residents in the 2020 census, up 319% since 2000.
It’s the 419th largest of 771 towns in North Carolina by population.
Granville County grew from 23,263 residents in 1900 to 60,992 in 2020.
Granville 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 46.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Oxford Ag, NC weather station (9 miles away).
18,335 jobs at 962 businesses in Granville County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
2 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Stem.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Mental health providers | 2 |
|---|
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.
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Libraries
Counts are within about 1 mile 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.
Public schools here are run by Granville County Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Granville Central HighStem | 9–12 | 531 | Public | 2.2 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
Buying or selling around Stem? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.
Loading map…
Shares ZIP codes with Butner.
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.