Clinton, North Carolina
Clinton is a city of 8,304 people in Sampson County, North Carolina, founded in 1740.
Why visit Clinton
Townapedia lists 17 museums and landmarks, 2 parks and trails, 44 places to eat, 6 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include East Park, Bethune-Powell Buildings and Clinton Commercial Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 90°F; January lows average 32°F.
Weather in Clinton
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Clinton
Clinton (locally KLIN-ən, KLINT-ən) is a city in and the county seat of Sampson County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,383. Clinton is named for Richard Clinton, a Brigadier General of the North Carolina militia in the American Revolution.
From the Wikipedia article Clinton, North Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks17
Bethune-Powell Buildings
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Group of commercial buildings in Clinton, North Carolina
Clinton Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic district in Clinton, North Carolina
Clinton Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Railway station in Clinton, North Carolina
College Street Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Historic district in Clinton, North Carolina
Francis Pugh House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
Clinton, NC, listed on the NRHP in North Carolina
Gen. Thomas Boykin House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.6 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Graves-Stewart House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Historic home located at Clinton, Sampson County, North Carolina, USA
Johnson Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic commercial building in North Carolina, US
Marcheston Killett Farm
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.1 mi
Human settlement in Clinton, North Carolina, United States of America
Patrick-Carr-Herring House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic home located at Clinton, Sampson County, North Carolina
Pigford House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.0 mi
Building near Clinton, Sampson County, North Carolina, United States
Pugh-Boykin House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Clinton, NC, listed on the NRHP in North Carolina
5 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds2
Restaurants and cafes44
Great Grandsons
Restaurant · 1.5 mi
1522 Sunset Avenue, Clinton
Mo-Sa 11:00-20:00
Alfredo's Ristorante Italiano
Restaurant · Italian · 0.5 mi
101 North Wall Street, Clinton
Ruby Tuesday
Diner · American · 0.9 mi
1118 Sunset Avenue, Clinton
Taqueria Romero's
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.5 mi
207 Vance Street, Clinton
Burney's Sweets & More LLC
Bakery · 0.5 mi
107 Vance Street, Clinton
El Campo Restaurant & Grill
Restaurant · 1.3 mi
416 Warsaw Road, Clinton
JennaBugs Cafe
Restaurant · 0.8 mi
421 West Elizabeth Street, Clinton
La Tienda y Taqueria La Oaxaqueña
Restaurant · 2.5 mi
2415 Boykin Bridge Road, Clinton
32 more on the map.
History
The first settlers came to the Clinton area around 1740. The community was originally known as Clinton Courthouse. There was an earlier incorporated town of Clinton elsewhere in the state; however, that town folded in 1822 and Clinton was incorporated as a town in the same year. In 1852, the General Assembly passed several acts to improve regulation of towns, including Clinton. As part of the "Act for the Better Regulation of the Town of Clinton in the County of Sampson," the General Assembly appointed five commissioners: James Moseley, Isaac Boykin, Dr. Henry Bizzel, John Beaman, and Alfred Johnson. The corporate limits of the town at that time extended a half mile each way from the courthouse. The first records of an election were in February 1852 and the first tax rate was $0.50 per $100 valuation of real property. In July 1953, the town became a city.
From the History section of Clinton, North Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay6
Churches and places of worship29
First United Methodist Church
Church · Methodist · 0.5 mi
208 Sampson Street, Clinton
Saint Paul's Episcopal Church
Church · Episcopal · 0.5 mi
110 West Main Street, Clinton
Clinton Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
Church · African Methodist Episcopal Zion · 1.0 mi
Shopping12
Gas and EV charging10
Schools, colleges and libraries13
Healthcare7
Fresenius Kidney Care
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.0 mi
1740 Southeast Boulevard, Clinton
Map of Clinton
142 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53°F | 32°F | 3.5 in | 0.8 in |
| Feb | 56°F | 34°F | 3.1 in | 0.5 in |
| Mar | 64°F | 40°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 73°F | 49°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 80°F | 58°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 87°F | 67°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 90°F | 70°F | 5.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 88°F | 69°F | 6.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 83°F | 63°F | 6.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 74°F | 51°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 64°F | 41°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 56°F | 35°F | 3.5 in | 0.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Clinton 2 Ne (4 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Sampson County has had 19 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-06: Tropical Storm Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2022-10-01: Hurricane Ian (Hurricane)
- 2021-03-03: Tropical Storm Eta (Severe Storm)
- 2020-08-02: Hurricane Isaias (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Clinton - Sampson County Airport (CTZ) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 2 miles away.
- Bonnetsville 4 mi west, about 6 min by car
- Brogden 27 mi northeast, about 43 min by car
- Benson 29 mi northwest, about 47 min by car
- Beulaville 32 mi east, about 52 min by car
- Goldsboro 33 mi northeast, about 53 min by car
- Hope Mills 36 mi west, about 57 min by car
- Smithfield 36 mi north, about 58 min by car
- Buies Creek 36 mi northwest, about 59 min by car
- Fayetteville 37 mi west, about 59 min by car
- Spring Lake 40 mi west, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Sampson County Courthouse, Clinton, Nyttend, Public domain
- Powell Building, Clinton, Nyttend, Public domain
- Francis Pugh House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Royal-Crumpler-Parker House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Clinton Depot, Elizabeth Street, Nyttend, Public domain
- Gen Boykin house, MatthisFour, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Graves-Stewart House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Patrick-Carr-Herring House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Robert Herring House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Johnson Building, Nyttend, Public domain
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.