Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety7#14,597/15,637
Economy9#14,263/15,631
Housing45#8,184/14,977
Health3#15,198/15,609
Healthcare10#14,117/15,650
Environment67#5,088/15,453
Education14#13,471/15,649
Infrastructure5#14,905/15,650
Community70#4,702/15,651
Leisure & amenities41#9,188/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Plymouth, North Carolina ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Washington County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Social associations · high18.7 /10k
97/100North Carolina 11.2 /10kUnited States 9.1 /10k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteWashington County value
Pharmacies · high2.8 /10k
94/100North Carolina 1.6 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsWashington County value
Job growth · high2.5%
91/100North Carolina 0.8%United States 0.1%2026 Q1U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsProvisional dataWashington County value
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) · low5.9 µg/m³
90/100North Carolina 7.5 µg/m³United States 8.0 µg/m³2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyWashington County value
New business applications · high17.1 /1k
79/100North Carolina 16.3 /1kUnited States 16.6 /1k2025U.S. Census BureauWashington County value
Comfortable days · high30.1%
79/100North Carolina 30.0%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationWashington County value

Weaknesses

Unemployment rate · high26.4%
0/100North Carolina 3.8%United States 4.3%2020-2024U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Census table B23025
Adult obesity · high48.5%
1/100North Carolina 37.2%United States 38.2%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Primary care shortage · high20.0
1/100North Carolina 9.9United States 6.2Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationWashington County value
Premature death · high16,517 /100k
2/100North Carolina 9,400 /100kUnited States 8,123 /100k2021-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteWashington County value
Homicide rate · high15.5 /100k
2/100North Carolina 6.9 /100kUnited States 4.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimateProvisional dataWashington County value
Lack of reliable transportation · high19.7%
3/100North Carolina 8.8%United States 8.3%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationFalling
3,478 (2015-2019) → 3,250 (2020-2024)
−6.6%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Child poverty rateImproving
62.8% (2015-2019) → 27.5% (2020-2024)
−35 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Unemployment rateWorsening
5.3% (2015-2019) → 26.4% (2020-2024)
+21 pts5 yearsCensus table B23025US 3.7% → 4.0%
Rent as share of incomeImproving
51.0% (2015-2019) → 32.2% (2020-2024)
−19 pts5 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.8% → 30.6%
Median household incomeImproving
$18,490 (2015-2019) → $34,521 (2020-2024)
+87%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
High school diploma or higherImproving
74.0% (2015-2019) → 86.8% (2020-2024)
+13 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 88.0% → 89.6%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Plymouth, North Carolina improved on 4 of 12 measures with a comparison and declined on 0. 8 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved4

Price / income−2.2×4.7× → 2.5×
Inequality−0.1720.597 → 0.425
Rent / income−19 points51.0% → 32.2%
Household income+87%$18,490 → $34,521

Declined0

No measure declined by more than its margin of error.

All 12 measures

Change of every measure of Plymouth, North Carolina between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	18.8 min2015-2019	22.1 min2020-2024	+3.3 min	Within the margin of error	18%
Bachelor's degree or higher	5.9%2015-2019	8.1%2020-2024	+2.2 points	Within the margin of error	44%
Broadband subscriptions	69.7%2015-2019	74.5%2020-2024	+4.8 points	Within the margin of error	30%
Effective property tax rate	1.13%2015-2019	1.14%2020-2024	+0 points	Within the margin of error	16%
High school diploma or higher	74.0%2015-2019	86.8%2020-2024	+13 points	Within the margin of error	98%
Home price to income ratio	4.7×2015-2019	2.5×2020-2024	−2.2×	Improved	99%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.5972015-2019	0.4252020-2024	−0.172	Improved	99%
Median household income	$18,4902015-2019	$34,5212020-2024	+87%	Improved	97%
Poverty rate	40.2%2015-2019	29.9%2020-2024	−10 points	Within the margin of error	93%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Rent as share of income	51.0%2015-2019	32.2%2020-2024	−19 points	Improved	98%
Rent-burdened households	65.8%2015-2019	63.5%2020-2024	−2.3 points	Within the margin of error	64%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Plymouth, North Carolina five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Plymouth, North Carolina in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Plymouth, North Carolina itself moved +13.4 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

3,250 residents (±16)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 40–49 men (−9.2 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

3,250 residents (±16)

Plymouth, North Carolina
North Carolina share

White27%†868
Black72%2,343
Hispanic or Latino0.7%†23

Education

2,257 residents (±178)

Plymouth, North Carolina
North Carolina share

No high school diploma13%†298
High school or GED42%†945
Some college30%†

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

1,314 households (±163)

Plymouth, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Under $25k33%†428
$25k–50k39%†517
$50k–75k11%†149
$75k–100k11%†141
$100k–150k4.1%†54
$150k–200k1.7%†22
$200k or more0.2%†3

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $25k–50k (+30.0 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

1,314 households (±163)

Plymouth, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Own56%†735
Rent44%†579

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+22.6 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

478 households (±137)

Plymouth, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Under $75059%†280
$750–1,00012%†59
$1,000–1,50029%†

Home values

735 homes (±226)

Plymouth, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Under $150k67%†492
$150k–250k22%†161
$250k–400k0.4%†3

Age of homes

1,826 homes (±168)

Plymouth, North Carolina
North Carolina share

2010 or later0.0%0
2000–20090.2%†3
1980–199920%†362

Size of homes

1,826 homes (±168)

Plymouth, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Studio0.5%†10
1 bedroom9.5%†174
2 bedrooms22%†395

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

803 workers (±168)

Plymouth, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Drive alone77%619
Carpool17%†138
Public transit0.0%0
Walk1.7%†14
Bike0.5%†4
Work from home2.0%†16
Other1.5%†12

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

787 workers (±177)

Plymouth, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Under 15 min54%†425
15–29 min13%†105
30–44 min14%†

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Washington County, the county holding most of Plymouth's residents.

Washington County has 221 employer establishments, 206 for every 10,000 residents (0.83× the US rate of 248; 0.87× North Carolina's), with 2,527 paid employees at an average annual pay of $48,336. The Census Bureau also counts 608 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 221; 608 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 206; US 248 · North Carolina 237
Paid employees: 2,527
Average annual pay: $48,336; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Washington County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Religious organizations	20	18.7	3.36×More than typical	58	$20,603	—
Restaurants and other eating places	17	15.9	0.86×About typical	311	$17,595	9
Ambulatory health care services	14	13.1	0.63×Fewer than typical	132	$51,333	24
Limited-service restaurants	10	9.3	1.16×About typical	244	$17,684	5
Child day care services	9	8.4	3.44×Too few to compare	49	$22,102	13
Gasoline stations	8	7.5	2.30×Too few to compare	56	$22,339	—
Truck transportation	8	7.5	1.48×Too few to compare	27	$61,296	27
Full-service restaurants	7	6.5	0.85×Too few to compare	67	$17,269	4
Specialty trade contractors	6	5.6	0.36×Too few to compare	23	$53,826	37
General merchandise stores	5	4.7	2.64×Too few to compare	48	$15,875	4
Individual and family services	5	4.7	1.67×Too few to compare	120	$18,417	8
Lessors of real estate	5	4.7	0.38×Too few to compare	8	$18,125	38

Rank places for an industry Open Washington County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 10,719 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $0 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Plymouth, North Carolina: $0 per resident (US $2,007).

Obligations: $0
Per resident: $0; US $2,007
Sole-source: —; US 30%
Single offer: —; US 8.7%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

183.2FY2018
137.4FY2019
6KFY2023

What was bought

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 9, 2026, loaded Oct 9, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Plymouth, North Carolina, so they do not add up across cities.

Plymouth, North Carolina's figures are part of those of Washington County, NC ($8,360 in FY2026), never added to them: 0.0% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Plymouth is mostly in Washington County.

See federal money in Washington County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Plymouth, North Carolina is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Donald G. DavisD-NC-1 · 100% of residentsWith party 70%Missed 1.8%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Washington County20100% of residents

Other cities and towns in Washington County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/3753040