Map of Kenly town

Kenly is a town in Johnston and Wilson counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It was named for John R. Kenly, Northern Division Superintendent of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, who later became president of the railroad in 1913. The population was 1,339 at the 2010 census, down from 1,569 in 2000.

Kenly town overview:
Name:	Kenly town
LSAD Code:	43
LSAD Description:	town (suffix)
State:	North Carolina
County:	Johnston County, Wilson County
Elevation:	194 ft (59 m)
Total Area:	1.82 sq mi (4.71 km²)
Land Area:	1.81 sq mi (4.70 km²)
Water Area:	0.00 sq mi (0.01 km²)
Total Population:	1,491
Population Density:	821.49/sq mi (317.10/km²)
ZIP code:	27542
Area code:	919
FIPS code:	3735540
GNISfeature ID:	1021028
Website:	www.townofkenly.com

Online Interactive Map

Click on to view map in "full screen" mode.

Kenly online map. Source: Basemap layers from Google Map, Open Street Map (OSM), Arcgisonline, Wmflabs. Boundary Data from Database of Global Administrative Areas.

Kenly location map. Where is Kenly town?

Kenly location on the U.S. Map. Where is Kenly town. — Kenly location on the U.S. Map.

Kenly location on the North Carolina map. Where is Kenly town. — Location of Kenly in North Carolina.

History

The community was settled in about 1875, developing along the “Short-Cut” rail line of the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad. It was incorporated in 1887 as Kenly, being named for railroad official J. R. Kenly. In 1897, the community’s first school, Kenly Academy, a private boarding institution, was established. Kenly High School, a public institution, was opened in 1914. That year the town received its first electric service.

In July 2022, all five members of Kenly’s police force resigned, citing a “hostile work environment”, allegedly created by the newly-appointed town manager.

Kenly Road Map

Kenly city Satellite Map

Geography

Kenly is located in eastern Johnston County. A small portion of the town extends into the southwest corner of Wilson County. U.S. Route 301 (Church Street) is the main road through the center of town. North Carolina Highway 222 (Second Street) crosses US 301 in the center of Kenly. Interstate 95 runs along the northwest edge of Kenly, with access from Exit 107 (US 301).

According to the United States Census Bureau, Kenly has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.2 km), of which 1.609 acres (6,513 m), or 0.16%, are water.