Named after a general who fought in the American Revolution, Clinton’s history dates back to the mid-1700s. With a population of just under 8,500 during the 2020 census, the small city is the center of Sampson County, mainly consisting of rural farmland. Agriculture is Clinton’s primary industry. Major crops include corn, cotton and wheat, as well as vegetables. Clinton also dabbles in agritourism with Hubb’s Farm’s over 10-acre maze and other seasonal activities. With the help of the Main Street America Program, Clinton is working to revitalize its downtown, which includes a series of events to bring the community together. "There are many opportunities to become engaged in the community — civic groups, churches, the arts, a good school system and community college," says Mary Rose, planning and development director of the city of Clinton.
Sampson County ranks first in both crop and livestock production in North Carolina.
Whether you want to meet the farm animals, see who can make it down the giant double-barrel slide first find or your way out of a corn maze, check out Hubb's Farm outside of Clinton for some wholesome family fun.
Agriculture plays a major role in the local economy and Clinton functions as a regional agricultural center.
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Historic homes and new construction
Clinton’s median single-family home price is $250,000, well below the national median. Clinton has multiple historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places. West Main–North Chesnutt Streets Historic District is a residential area with Colonial Revival, Greek Revival and Gothic Revival architecture. New construction is scattered throughout the city and is currently selling for $215,000 to $420,000. Homes tend to stay on the market for 58 days.
This beautiful two-story double-pile Victorian style home originally built in 1868 in the West Main-North Chesnutt Streets Historic District in Clinton is on the National Register of Historic Places Inventory.
Historic colonial homes like this one in Clinton's West Main-North Chesnutt Streets Historic District are common in the downtown area.
There are 4 historic districts in downtown Clinton.
Clinton is a growing area in Sampson County, new homes can be found throughout the area.
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Dual enrollment at Sampson Early College High School
Clinton City Schools earns a B overall grade on Niche and has a total of three elementary schools, one middle and one high school. B-minus-rated Clinton High School offers 162 courses across 14 major disciplines. Students can apply to attend A-rated Sampson Early College High School to earn a high school diploma and an associate degree over five years, through Sampson Community College. The college offers 79 programs of study. Clinton also has a few private schools with a Christian-based curriculum.
Clinton High School & Sampson Middle School are located beside each other just south of downtown Clinton, NC.
Sampson Early College in Clinton is designed as a five-year high school that provides an opportunity for students to obtain an associate degree and/or two years of transferrable college credit.
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Swimming at Royal Lane Pool
The city has four parks to accommodate a variety of activities. Royal Lane Park’s 79 acres offer green space for sports fields and walking trails. The daily rates for Royal Lane pool are between $1 to $2. Bellamy Recreation Center is located in the park with a full-court gym, an outdoor playground and a large meeting space. Go Bark Park has two separate fenced-in areas for larger and smaller dogs. Sampson County YMCA has an indoor pool and fitness center.
Royal Lane Park has a disc golf course, pickleball courts and nature trails under construction in Clinton.
Royal Lane Park in Clinton provides 79 acres of playgrounds, picnic areas, fields, courts, trails, and open space for your enjoyment.
The Sampson County Y in Clinton offers programs and services designed to benefit all the people of the community.
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Local shops, history and art in Downtown Clinton
Downtown Clinton is home to over 180 businesses. The town offers incentives for business owners, such as a grant to assist in restoring and maintaining building facades downtown. While downtown has local restaurants, coffee shops and boutiques, the city has larger shopping like Sampson Crossing father out. For those wanting to learn more about the area, there’s Sampson County History Museum. "Art is also a strong focus in our Downtown with two art galleries and an active community theater, which is currently under restoration but typically has at least four to five live performances a year," Rose says.
Clinton is the county seat of Sampson County in North Carolina.
Residents of Clinton enjoy shopping and dinning in the beautifully renovated downtown area.
Clinton can boast that it has the longest Dogwood mural in the state of North Carolina.
Artworks in downtown Clinton provides a dynamic, supportive platform for regional artists to showcase and sell their paintings, sculptures, pottery, jewelry, folk art and more.
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Cooking up fun at The Clinton Square Fair and BBQ Cook-Off
Clinton kicks off their two-night Christmas in the City festivities with a tree lighting ceremony, a scavenger hunt and a cookie decorating contest. Later in the month, the city offers carriage rides and story time with an elf and ornament painting. The Clinton Square Fair and BBQ Cook-Off is the city’s largest annual event. Families gather to enjoy art activities, a car show and live music. Alive After Five is a summer concert series sponsored by the Sampson Arts Council.
Between Fayetteville, Raleigh and Wilmington
Fayetteville is just under 35 miles from Clinton on a straight shot down North Carolina Route 24. Clinton’s location near Interstate 40 makes the trip to Raleigh about 65 miles and Wilmington about 70 miles away. The city is mostly car-dependent. Sampson County Public Transportation runs a service called Sampson Same-Day, where riders can be taken within a 10-mile radius of the Clinton Post Office for a fare of $5. The nearest commercial airports are in Fayetteville and Raleigh. "Our cost of living is likely a bit lower than the urban cities, and yet we are an easy commute to those urban areas," Rose says.
Crime and climate
In their 2023 annual report, the Clinton Police department reported a total of 35 violent crimes and 420 property crimes. The city has a 7 out of 10 for heat factor and an 8 out of 10 for wind factor.
Written By
Joyelle Ronan
Photography Contributed By
Lawrence Hiatt
Video By
Mark Tilley
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