Person County, North Carolina · Roxboro
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Person County averages 9 nights a year at 20°F or colder, mostly December to February, and 21% of its homes predate 1960.
Heavy rain days of an inch or more come about 10.8 times a year here, most often in May. A sump pump that hasn't run since last season is a common weak point.
21% of homes here predate 1960, when clay and cast iron sewer laterals were standard. Roots and cracks in those lines are a common cause of backups.
In Person County, 3.28 inches fell on the wettest day of the 2015–2024 record. Storms like that, and ice dams in snowy winters, cause most roof leaks.
16% of occupied homes in Person County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the North Carolina county median of 11.7%.
About 71 nights a year here stay at 65°F or warmer, so basements and crawl spaces can grow mold even without a leak.
Local risk profile
With 18,584 homes and around 39,542 residents, Person County is 392 square miles of northern North Carolina. The county seat is Roxboro. The county's median home was built in 1983.
54/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Elevated Person County ranks 45 of 100 North Carolina counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Person County ranks highest compared with other North Carolina counties.
Person is on the colder side of North Carolina for pipes. From 2015–2024 it averaged 9 nights a year at 20°F or colder, the range where pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces and unheated garages freeze, and 75 nights at or below 32°F. That ranks 24th of 100 counties.
The longest cold spell was straight 7 days without the temperature rising above freezing, ending in January 2018. The coldest night reached about 2°F on February 20, 2015. Burst pipes usually show up when a spell like that breaks and the ice thaws.
Most freezing nights fall from December to February, peaking in January. Disconnect garden hoses and shut off outdoor spigots before the first hard frost, and keep the heat at 55°F or higher if you'll be away.
On average the first fall freeze arrives around Nov 8 and the last spring freeze around Apr 10.
Person gets fewer downpours than most North Carolina counties, but they still fill basements. About 10.8 days a year bring an inch or more (73rd of 100), most often in May, out of 49.3 inches of total precipitation. On October 9, 2016, 3.28 inches fell in a single day. Multi-day storms matter most for basements; the wettest three days on record here totaled 5.64 inches (through April 25, 2017).
The temperature crosses 32°F in both directions on roughly 73 days a year. Each cycle melts and refreezes water at roof edges and in foundation cracks, which is how ice dams and basement seepage get started.
Housing
46% of homes in Person County predate 1980, above the North Carolina county median of 41.2%, which ranks 32nd of North Carolina's 100 counties.
The mix runs from 21% built before 1960 to 23% built since 2000, so older neighborhoods bring aging pipe while newer subdivisions bring failed appliance lines and water heaters.
The 1980s and 1990s account for 31% of the county's homes. If yours is from those decades, look under the sinks and at the water heater for gray plastic pipe stamped PB, which is polybutylene and leak-prone.
18% of homes are manufactured or mobile homes, close to the North Carolina county median of 17.4%. Their water lines run under the floor behind the skirting, so a torn skirt or failed heat tape freezes them faster than lines in a site-built house.
Beyond water
Summer nights that don't drop below 65°F, a good marker of humid air, come about 71 times a year here, below the North Carolina county median of 88.5. Mold grows when indoor humidity stays above about 60%, the EPA's ceiling. A basement dehumidifier set to 50% and drying anything wet within 24 to 48 hours prevents most problems.
Mold remediation: what to expectBy main heating fuel, Person County homes break down as 18% utility gas, 64% electric, 14% propane and 2% wood. Wood and propane heat are above the North Carolina norm. Annual chimney and vent inspection, which the NFPA recommends, is one of the most effective fire-prevention habits for these homes.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across Person County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Person gets more pipe-freeze nights than any of its neighbors. All of its neighbors see more heavy-rain days. Caswell County has the oldest housing nearby, with 48% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Person | North Carolina median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 21% | 18% | 31 of 100 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 46% | 41% | 32 of 100 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 23% | 26% | 66 of 100 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 18% | 17% | 45 of 100 |
| Vacant homes | 14% | 13% | 48 of 100 |
| Wood or propane heat | 16% | 12% | 35 of 100 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 9/yr | 5/yr | 24 of 100 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 11/yr | 12/yr | 73 of 100 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 73/yr | 57/yr | 18 of 100 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 71/yr | 89/yr | 74 of 100 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest North Carolina county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in Person County: freezing from December to February, heavy rain in May, June and September.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024); weather from NOAA nClimGrid-Daily county averages (EpiNOAA), 2015–2024, averaged across the county; county boundaries from Census TIGER. Reviewed 2026-10-21. Methodology