Retirement Facts

Would you prefer to visit or retire to Edenton? You can do both?

A significant portion of Edenton’s population moved here to enjoy this lifestyle and environment. Why?

Retirees selecting Edenton and Chowan County came from as far away as Vermont or Florida to find this idyllic place. They include: former top executives of international corporations, federal workers, military retirees, teachers, doctors, nurses, college professors, staff refugees from Congress and about every background in between.

Retiring to Edenton means not having to feel like you are living in an old folks home or retirement village. You get as involved as you want but don’t have the hassles of traffic, noise, high costs and impersonal surroundings.
~ Mary Q.

Some were motivated by the small town environment, by the beautiful waters of the Albemarle Sound and the nine rivers flowing into it, others for the fishing, golf or the strong, friendly feeling of community. Some had previous connections to the area, but the majority chose a new experience in southern living in one of the “Prettiest Town in America,” according to Forbes.com.

No two experiences are alike, but most have in common a desire to live a more peaceful lifestyle, where you can be as involved as you like and contribute your time to worthy purposes knowing it is a meaningful involvement. In fact, newcomers frequently find themselves being asked to serve on local boards and as key volunteers.

Today, Edenton remains a small waterfront town where everyone is welcome and engaged in the community. It is home to high tech boat building, peanut process, and a great little airport. It is also a North Carolina Certified Retirement Community, one of only 18 such designated places in the state.

The North Carolina General Assembly established the N.C. Certified Retirement Community Program (S.B. 1627) as a vehicle to designate communities that offer unprecedented, quality of living that is sought by the mature community. To gain certification, a local government must submit an application for consideration.

Edenton was one of the first towns in North Carolina to be certified. To learn more about the criteria Edenton meets and exceeds, review the state’s criteria.

Why Some Should NOT Retire to Edenton?

For some, retiring to an idyllic spot like Edenton just does not make sense. Why?

They thrive on the hustle, bustle and noise of a big town.
They prefer to be alone and not bothered by friendly neighbors interested in their lives.
They get a kick out of long commutes, like to hear the honking of horns and the smell of exhaust fumes.
They really do like to go to the Opera or Symphony weekly and think that a periodic trip to Norfolk or Raleigh for such cultural entertainment would be too much hassle.
They want their designer shopping needs met down the street, as opposed to a seasonal trip to Raleigh, Norfolk, Washington (DC), New York, Paris or London, which a number of Edentonians are known to make.

Lots of Reasons to Retire to Edenton and Chowan County

Health Care

Chowan County is served by Vidant Chowan Hospital. Vidant is part of a larger system, which enables it to meet needs that exceed those expected in a small community. Follow this link to see how Medicare compares regional hospitals.

Vidant Edenton-Chowan Hospital

Vidant Chowan Hospital welcomes volunteers. Because it is relatively small, even if it is well connected, it offers human-sized, friendly care delivered by professionals and neighbors; “Each day, volunteers help deliver the high quality, compassionate care that our patients and their families deserve. From serving as stockroom clerks and office assistants to providing entertainment and good company to patients and their families, volunteers make a difference.”

At Vidant Chowan Hospital we have opportunities for volunteer work in many different areas. Some volunteers work directly with patients, teaching crafts or playing games. Others do administrative work, such as filing, typing or answering telephones. Some volunteers work as lab assistants or nursing aids. We work hard to match your interests with a volunteer position that is right for you.”

What is Edenton’s weather like?

Edenton enjoys four real seasons. Not too hot in the summer and not too cold in the winter (usually). Some will note that we might have too much humidity in parts of the year and they could be right. But, that usually does not last too long. Spring and Fall are great and extended and perfect for golf, walks, boating, golf, studying the millponds, golf, and just enjoying the great out of doors. And as to snow, it has been known to stay on the ground all day, but usually is gone by mid-afternoon (exception in 2014 when it once lasted 48 hours). Several folks who retired to Edenton actually moved their snow shovels when they relocated, but they are really hard to sell at yard sales unless repurposed as mulch shovels. Forget about selling snow skis, but the poles can be used to stake flowers).

If you want some additional factually information, take a look at this site loaded with weather statistics.

Real Estate taxes in Edenton and Chowan County are below national and state averages

Tax Rates

The tax rates for the 2019 tax year are: Chowan County 0.745, the Town of Edenton 0.40, and fire districts 0.055. These are expressed as cents per $100 of value. Therefore, a property outside of the town limits is taxed at 80 cents per $100 of value and a property inside the town limits is taxed at 114.5 cents per $100 of value.

Find Your Own Home for Retirement

Prefer to do your own research to find property listings? Check out Realtor.com and then call one of the local experts. Zillow also has listing for the area. Don’t pay too much attention to their Zestimates ® because Edenton is too small a town for their system to work reliably.

Plan a Trip to Edenton

Come see Edenton for yourself; the very best research you can do. If you want some clues about what’s going on, places to stay, where to eat, check out this Edenton and Chowan County travel information site.

Crime below national and state averages

Crime in Edenton and Chowan County are below national and state averages. Demographic composition and many other factors make comparing crime statistics difficult. But most indicate that Edenton and Chowan County are safer than most other parts of the country. Here are a few pages you might wish to study as you plan your retirement and think about security: Edenton PD Crime Rpt 08-01-2013

Living on Retirement Income

Cost of Living: How does Edenton’s Cost of Living (COL) compare with other cities? Here is an interesting CNN calculator that enables you to enter a city near you and compare the COL with this region. Edenton is too small to have its own listing, but Dare County is nearby and even it is more expensive than Chowan County. See how the costs compare: http://money.cnn.com/calculator/pf/cost-of-living/

Stretching a dollar: How far will a $ go in North Carolina vs other states? The Washington Post published data showing how far a dollar will go in various states. Compare the alternative and you’ll find that the greenback goes further in North Carolina than most states and even further in Edenton. Here’s the story.

What do Retirees Do?

Dying of boredom: Retirees in Edenton and Chowan County may have one complaint: there is too much to do. There is no recorded case of anyone dying of boredom. If you don’t get involved in too much, it is because you worked very hard avoiding engagement within the community.

Barker House Volunteers: Penelope Barker House Welcome Center Volunteers – The home of Penelope Barker, leader of the famous, revolution-era Edenton Tea Party, is open seven days a week from 10 am to 4 pm and staffed by over 70 volunteers – and they need you. Most work one, three-hour shift each month, as well as on some special occasions. They welcome visitors to Edenton’s living room, answer a few questions about Penelope and the Edenton Tea Party and help visitors learn about other aspects of Edenton. It is a great way to engage with others and to learn more about the specialness of this little spot on the Albemarle Sound. The also work as volunteers at the Roanoke River Lighthouse.

Cupola House Weeders: Cupola House “Weeders” – For decades, the nationally famous garden at the Cupola House have been maintained by a cadre of volunteers who meet every Wednesday morning to weed the garden, thus the name “weeders”. As described by the Cupola House Association: “Donald Parker, a Colonial Williamsburg landscape architect, initially designed the Gardens. His design was based roughly on the second C.J. Saucier 1769 Edenton map. The fencing, arbor and walks were completed in 1975. In 1990, after many different plant materials were unsuccessfully tried, frustrated garden volunteers redesigned the north garden. The new herb beds took their shape from the lower panels of the Cupola House doors, which was also a known 16th century garden pattern. The garden volunteers make every effort to grow plants that could reasonably have been grown here before 1800. The Cupola House Gardens feature parterres, orchard, arbor, and herbs befitting this historically significant 1758 home.”

Local schools and churches also depend on volunteers. The reward for volunteers is not only the service or assistance you provide but the quick integration into the community. You can’t help but meet lots of interesting folks with a broad variety of backgrounds.

And if you are not the volunteering kind, there are lots of book clubs, travel clubs, dinner groups, as well as Bridge and Mahjongg groups.

Three great golf courses are between 10 and 40 minutes of downtown Edenton with the Chowan Golf and Country Club the closest.

Residents and retirees alike do interesting things in Chowan County. Sycamore Farms is just one example of what can be done with the land and creativity:

Sycamore Farms