Pine Level is the type of small town that city-dwellers may dismiss as existing only in a Hallmark movie. “It’s one of the last towns in Johnston County to only have one streetlight,” says Linsey Dale, a team leader and broker with HTR Southern Properties who lived in the town for 12 years. “So many communities in this area have really blown up over the past five years, but Pine Level has kept that small-town feel – just good schools, good people, good small businesses.” According to the town’s website, they’re the “Best Little Town in North Carolina.”
Locally-owned charming shops and restaurants
The town’s downtown is lined with shops and businesses including Serving Spoon — a catering service that offers a monthly Sunday brunch with a menu of praline French toast and homemade gravy with freshly baked biscuits. Town Market grocery store sells fresh meat that’s cut and ground on-site, while Pine Level Hardware & Furniture provides residents with home goods. The Parkside Café dishes up classic country cooking like hamburgers and fried chicken in a friendly atmosphere. For bigger shopping trips, the Smithfield Outlet Mall features discounted goods from a variety of retailers, including Adidas, Brooks Brothers and Nike.
Ashlan Meadows is a small family farm providing fresh local produce.
Parkside Cafe features the finest food at affordable prices.
Pine Level Hardware & Furniture has been family owned and operated since 1913.
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Food trucks and live music
Most attractions require a drive to Smithfield or surrounding areas. “There’s always something to do, but it might not necessarily be in Pine Level,” Dale says. Hinnant Family Vineyards, less than a mile from the town center, hosts food trucks and live music on weekends, as well as tastings and tours. Julie Toy, a life-long North Carolina resident and realtor with Coldwell Banker Advantage says "Their scuppernongs grapes are found each year in local grocery stores and farmers markets and are delicious!" The Town of Pine Level also puts on community events like the annual Christmas parade on the second Sunday of each December. In nearby Smithfield, the Ava Gardner Museum features exhibits about the 1950s starlet, including costumes worn in her films, behind-the-scenes stories and artifacts from some of her roles and personal history.
Ranch homes and farmhouses on rural lots
The architecture in Pine Level is mostly traditional – brick ranch-style homes and farmhouses with prominent front porches. Homes spand from the 1920s to the 2020s, but even in areas where homes were built in the 2000s, the mature trees surrounding the lots lend the streets an established, settled feeling. Homes are aligned in neat rows, their simple lines suited to the splaying landscape. The average three-bedroom home will sell for around $200,000 to the low $300,000, but finding inventory may be a challenge since many of the homes are inhabited by families who have lived in the town for generations.
Older homes dominated the downtown area of Pine Level, NC.
Pine Level is a small town located 35 miles east of Raleigh.
Rolling hills and farmland surround the town of Pine Level, NC.
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Johnston County School District in the top four
Pine Level Elementary School, which has a B-plus rating from Niche, is rated the 4th best public elementary school in Johnston County. North Johnston Middle School, located in the nearby town of Micro five miles from Pine Level, has a B-minus rating from Niche and a 16-to-1 student-teacher ratio. North Johnston High School, which is located 8 miles outside of Pine Level, has a C-plus score. They offer the Academy of Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing to provide students the opportunity to gain employable, technical skills.
North Johnston High School is located in Johnston County, NC.
North Johnston Middle is located in Johnston County, NC.
Pine Level Elementary has around 350 students.
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Sam Godwin Park's playful landscape
Within the town itself, Sam Godwin Park provides a green space downtown with picnic areas and baseball courts. For indoor amenities, residents can travel 6 miles to the Smithfield Recreation & Aquatics Center, which features an eight-lane swimming pool, racquetball courts, an indoor track and a pottery studio. The SRAC also hosts community events like arts and crafts, fitness classes and summer camps. Residents can pay the $82 per month fee for a family membership, or pay $10 per person – $7 for kids – to use the facilities for the day. A round of golf can be played at Selma’s Cardinal Country Club.
Sam Godwin Park sits next to the Pine Level American Legion.
Sam Godwin Park includes 4 lighted baseball fields, basketball court and soccer fields.
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Interstate 95 access and the Johnston Regional Airport
As rural as Pine Level feels, its location right off Interstate 95 makes it convenient to get to Raleigh, which is 34 miles away. Residents who want to get out of town can head to the Selma-Smithfield Amtrak station, which is 2.5 miles from Pine Level, or the Johnston Regional Airport 11 miles away. UNC Health Johnston, located in downtown Smithfield 6 miles from Pine Level, is a full-service hospital that has served Johnston County residents since 1951. The town of Pine Level is built for a Main Street stroll, but the neighborhood becomes more rural and less pedestrian-friendly further from the town center.
Written By
Joyelle Ronan
Photography Contributed By
Bryan Regan
Video By
Benjamin Rose
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Tony West,
an experienced agent in this area.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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On average, homes in Pine Level, NC sell after 18 days on the market compared to the national average of 56 days. The median sale price for homes in Pine Level, NC over the last 12 months is $311,445, up 54% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Fall in love with this beautiful new ranch home in downtown Pine Level's desirable Longleaf Village community! This home features a bright, open-concept layout filled with natural light and timeless design touches. Enjoy a spacious kitchen with granite countertops and an oversized island, a cozy living room with fireplace and built in bookshelves, and a back patio/deck perfect for relaxing or
Welcome to the Morgan by Lennar. This home offers a well-designed layout with 4 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, and an attached 2-car garage. The open-concept living area connects to a modern kitchen featuring ample storage and durable finishes. The primary suite includes a private bath and walk-in closet, while the additional bedrooms offer flexibility for a home office, guest space, or additional
Opportunity awaits in the heart of downtown Pine Level! This fixer-upper is perfect for investors, flippers, or buyers looking to put their own personal touch on a home. With plenty of potential and a desirable location, this property offers the chance to renovate and create a space tailored to your vision.
Just off the foyer, the dining room showcases a square panel accent wall painted in SW “Gale Force,” along with a coat closet and a convenient half bath. The open great room flows seamlessly into the kitchen, complete with a large island, “Azul Platino” granite countertops, white shaker cabinets, a corner pantry, and stainless steel appliances including a microwave, dishwasher, and smooth-top
The welcoming foyer opens to two bedrooms and a full hall bath with a vanity and tub/shower combo, ideal for family or guests. A convenient mudroom, with washer/dryer connections, offers direct access to the garage for everyday ease. A spacious great room flows into the kitchen, complete with a center island, Delphi” quartz countertops, horizontal picket backsplash, white shaker cabinets, pantry,
The Cardinal-Embark Collection floorplan offers comfortable, functional living with thoughtful design throughout. Just off the foyer, you’ll find a convenient powder room with a pedestal sink and mirror, along with the option to add a built-in bench with cubbies in the entryway for a stylish and functional drop zone. The spacious great room can be enhanced with an optional fireplace and optional
The Avery-Embark Collection floorplan offers the ease of ranch-style living with smart features that fit today’s lifestyle. The welcoming foyer opens to two bedrooms and a full hall bath, creating a comfortable space for family or guests. Also off the foyer, a dedicated mudroom with washer/dryer connections provides direct access to the garage, adding everyday convenience. Beyond the entry, the
DON'T MISS THIS INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY IN ONE OF THE FASTEST-GROWING AREAS OF JOHNSTON COUNTY in the City of Pine Level NC! This 24.80-ACRE PARCEL sits in a PRIME LOCATION beside the Town Market and Dollar General- and offers a MIXED-USE ZONING for RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL possibilities. The land is steps away from ESTABLISHED LOCAL BUSINESSES and just minutes from Selma's newest EASTFIELD
Welcome to the Cardinal plan at Emily Gardens! Step into the welcoming foyer with a convenient powder room, leading into a spacious great room that flows seamlessly into the kitchen and dining area. The kitchen features a center island with sink, ''Arctic White'' quartz countertops, white shaker cabinets, herringbone backsplash, stainless steel appliances including a microwave, oven, and smooth
Welcome to the Gavin plan! A beautifully designed 2-story home featuring 4 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, thoughtfully built by JSJ Builders in the charming new Emily Gardens community! Perfectly located in the heart of fast-growing Pine Level, you'll love being just minutes from I-95 and the future I-42 (Highway 70), making commuting to Raleigh or weekend trips to the coast quick and easy. And with
This new single-level home features a modern and low-maintenance layout. Two bedrooms and a full bathroom are conveniently located off the foyer, leading to an inviting open-concept living area. The owner’s suite is tucked into a private corner at the back of the home, offering access to a spa-inspired bathroom and generous walk-in closet.
DON'T MISS THIS INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY IN ONE OF THE FASTEST-GROWING AREAS OF JOHNSTON COUNTY in the City of Pine Level NC! This 24.80-ACRE PARCEL sits in a PRIME LOCATION beside the Town Market and Dollar General- and offers a MIXED-USE ZONING for RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL possibilities. The land is steps away from ESTABLISHED LOCAL BUSINESSES and just minutes from Selma's newest EASTFIELD
Up to $15K Seller Concession to Use-As-You-Choose + Free Fridge & Blinds when Buyer uses the builder-owned lender, Liberty Ridge Lending. Welcome to the Gavin plan! A beautifully designed 2-story home featuring 4 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, thoughtfully built by JSJ Builders in the charming new Emily Gardens community! Perfectly located in the heart of fast-growing Pine Level, you'll love being
Fall in love with this beautiful new ranch home in downtown Pine Level's desirable Longleaf Village community! This home features a bright, open-concept layout filled with natural light and timeless design touches. Enjoy a spacious kitchen with granite countertops and an oversized island, a cozy living room with fireplace and built in bookshelves, and a back patio/deck perfect for relaxing or
Estate new home available for immediate occupancy on a 0.5-acre lot in the Clearview Estate community, Selma, NC. Very close to Hwy70 and I-95(I-40 Alt). 3 Bedrooms & 2 bath & 2 car garage, gorgeous kitchen with large pantry, beautiful large patio and extended driveway.Very close to Smithfield outlets.Close proximity to Smithfield, Clayton, Raleigh and Goldsboro.Utilities included -
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