Rural Grifton has quick commutes and quiet living
Surrounded by farmland and anchored by a handful of homes and businesses, Grifton offers relaxed living in Eastern North Carolina along Contentnea Creek. "It's a small-town vibe. Anyone considering this area probably wants more land and something quiet, away from businesses," says Kristy Askew, a Realtor serving the area at BHHS Prime Properties. Grifton's location among low-lying marshes gives it a rural feel, but it's 18 miles south of Greenville and 12 miles northeast of Kinston, with quick commutes to either town via North Carolina Highway 11.
Recreation along Contentnea Creek
Contentnea Creekside RV & Trail Park has campgrounds along Contentnea Creek, and visitors can hike and picnic here along the water. "It's not really a waterfront community, but there is fishing, boating and kayaking," Askew says. Locals launch their vessels at Grifton Boat Ramp, and John Lawson Trail has hiking in the wetlands. St. David's Street Park has play equipment and picnic areas, and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science's Contentnea Creek location offers educational resources, including a planetarium and exhibits. The museum also sits on 380 acres of conservation land where visitors can kayak, hike and picnic.
Grifton's Shad Festival has been running for over 50 years
Grifton's Shad Festival is the town's cornerstone event. "There are little festivals all throughout our towns. Each town has its own," Askew says. "The Shad Festival in Grifton goes hand in hand with the creek." Held each year in April, this weekend-long festival celebrates the region's history of shad fishing with a beauty pageant, duck races, helicopter rides and a parade. Crowds of visitors nosh on fish stew, peruse craft vendors, and check out local art and carnival rides.
Suburban homes in small subdivisions and among farmland
Newly constructed homes include two-story Craftsman-style builds and single-story cottages in small subdivisions. In town, ranch-style homes sit along loosely gridded residential streets dotted with mature trees. On the outskirts of Grifton, homes sit on several acres of land among flat farmland and groves of trees. Smaller homes with about 1,000 square feet of living space typically cost between $100,000 and $250,000, while larger houses can reach up to $600,000. The median single-family home price is about $210,000.
Area students may attend Pitt County Schools
Students living in the central part of Grifton are zoned for Pitt County Schools. The western outskirts of Grifton are zoned for the Lenoir County Public Schools, and the eastern outskirts are zoned for the Craven County School District. Students attending Pitt County Schools may start at the Grifton School, a kindergarten-through-eighth-grade facility with a B-minus grade from Niche. Ayden-Grifton High School also earns a B-minus. Students at Ayden-Grifton and other high schools in Pitt County can join the Health Sciences Academy, which helps students prepare for careers in the healthcare profession through courses including Nursing Fundamentals, Sports Medicine, and Human Anatomy and Physiology. East Carolina University serves nearly 27,000 graduate and undergraduate students 20 miles north.
Small-town businesses and a local grocer that opened in 2023
Some residents are within walking distance of local spots like Greg's Pizza, a casual restaurant serving fresh-made pasta dishes and pizzas, and Los Caminitos Mexican Restaurant, a relaxed sit-down spot offering classics like quesadillas and enchiladas. Grifton also has several churches, a town history museum and a town library, among other small-town institutions. For essentials, there's a Dollar General and Food Pride, a small local grocer. Food Pride opened in 2023, increasing access to fresh produce and other food items in this rural area. The next major grocery store is 7 miles north in Ayden. Grifton residents had previously been left without a town grocery store after flood damage from Hurricane Florence forced the closure of Tropicana Supermarket in 2019. The town's low-lying terrain and proximity to Contentnea Creek keep some properties at risk of flooding.
Driving to Greenville and Kinston on N.C. Highway 11
Although locals living in town may be able to walk to certain businesses, the area is largely car-dependent. Greenville, about 18 miles north, is home to East Carolina University and ECU Health Medical Center. Kinston is 12 miles southwest. NC Highway 11, which goes north-south through Grifton, takes drivers to both towns. Pitt-Greenville Airport is 20 miles away and services commercial flights to Charlotte, which has a major airport.
Written By
Faith Wakefield
