North Carolina Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for North Carolina, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in North Carolina. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in North Carolina. The estimated population of North Carolina is 10,367,022 people, with a median age of 39.

We can look at the total population in North Carolina over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
10,367,022
 -0.18% +3.13%
2020
10,386,227
+1.18%
-
2019
10,264,876
+1.08%
-
2018
10,155,624
+1.03%
-
2017
10,052,564
 - -

Population of North Carolina by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
62.1%
63.6%
 -2.36%
Black/African American
20.8%
21.2%
 -1.89%
Native
1%
1.1%
 -9.09%
Hispanic
9.8%
9.1%
 +7.69%
Asian
3%
2.7%
 +11.11%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0.1%
0.1%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
2.9%
2.1%
 +38.10%
Other
0.3%
0.2%
 +50.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of North Carolina by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 39 +0.26% 37.6 +0.53% 40.3 -0.25%
2020 38.9 +0.52% 37.4 +0.54% 40.4 +0.5%
2019 38.7 +0.26% 37.2 +0.27% 40.2 +0.25%
2018 38.6 +0.52% 37.1 +0.54% 40.1 +0.5%
2017 38.4 - 36.9 - 39.9 -

The median age of North Carolina gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 634,066 -1.61% 610,725 -2.19% 623,937 597,449
10 to 19 674,549 +4.02% 643,829 +4.33% 702,117 672,156
20 to 29 702,469 +0.33% 677,911 +0.78% 704,519 683,055
30 to 39 625,211 +4.56% 651,261 +3.91% 654,251 677,076
40 to 49 661,628 -1.19% 690,685 -1.54% 653,758 680,077
50 to 59 657,012 +1.9% 707,884 -0.66% 669,576 703,272
60 to 69 528,467 +8.87% 600,082 +8.16% 576,919 650,443
70+ 411,966 +16.19% 574,819 +10.31% 482,589 635,828

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of North Carolina is $60,516.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for North Carolina.

  • Under 25
    $35,016.00
  • 25 to 44
    $66,559.00
  • 45 to 64
    $71,754.00
  • 65 and over
    $45,261.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in North Carolina, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in North Carolina, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of North Carolina is currently $84,888.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

6.94% of households in North Carolina are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of North Carolina against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    19.33%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    22.56%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    17.65%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    12.70%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    14.76%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    6.06%
  • $200,000 or more
    6.94%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in North Carolina is $34,209.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of North Carolina by the total population of North Carolina.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in North Carolina, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in North Carolina to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    15.04%
  • Bachelor's degree
    35.88%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    10.63%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    36.12%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.34%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in North Carolina that are over the age of 16.

The total population of North Carolina over the age of 16 is 8,336,531.

Of those people, a total of 62.60% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in North Carolina is 58.10%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 565,168 39.30% 17.50%
20 to 24 years 686,487 74.80% 10.00%
25 to 29 years 701,087 84.30% 6.90%
30 to 34 years 674,914 83.40% 4.90%
35 to 44 years 1,310,998 82.80% 4.20%
45 to 54 years 1,361,474 80.60% 3.50%
55 to 59 years 690,624 71.00% 3.60%
60 to 64 years 659,544 54.70% 3.30%
65 to 74 years 1,030,725 24.50% 3.30%
75 years and over 655,510 6.70% 2.70%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in North Carolina. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 5,690,123 61.60% 4.30%
Black or African American 1,746,705 63.50% 8.30%
American Indian and Alaska Native 89,439 54.20% 7.70%
Asian 248,635 68.00% 4.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 5,496 69.20% 8.20%
Other 250,804 70.90% 5.30%
Two or more races 305,329 68.30% 7.80%
Hispanic or Latino 668,223 71.20% 5.60%
Not Hispanic or Latino 5,408,486 61.10% 4.30%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in North Carolina as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in North Carolina is 4,845,768, with median earnings of $38,600.00.

Women in North Carolina earning approximately 76.40% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 4,845,768 $38,600.00
Male 2,499,821 $43,754.00
Female 2,345,947 $33,412.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 528,923 $70,823.00
Business and Financial 270,474 $64,703.00
Computer and Mathematical 165,043 $85,359.00
Architecture and Engineering 87,718 $80,045.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 50,350 $61,203.00
Community and Social Service 92,737 $44,034.00
Legal 41,958 $68,760.00
Educational and Library 303,566 $40,812.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 83,702 $38,576.00
Healthcare Practitioners 308,175 $57,111.00
Healthcare Support 142,064 $25,244.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 46,644 $36,259.00
Law Enforcement 45,280 $49,217.00
Food Preparation and Serving 264,564 $14,656.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 174,819 $22,005.00
Personal Care and Service 117,346 $17,906.00
Sales 498,520 $30,943.00
Office and Administrative Support 496,885 $33,958.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 25,431 $23,505.00
Construction and Extraction 246,446 $32,608.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 165,833 $43,579.00
Production 327,535 $33,633.00
Transportation and Material Moving 171,396 $36,811.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 310,449 $82,833.00 218,474 $57,800.00
Business and Financial 119,175 $76,645.00 151,299 $57,080.00
Computer and Mathematical 120,377 $90,100.00 44,666 $73,994.00
Architecture and Engineering 73,283 $83,095.00 14,435 $65,609.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 24,443 $66,016.00 25,907 $57,254.00
Community and Social Service 33,364 $46,451.00 59,373 $42,960.00
Legal 17,181 $107,919.00 24,777 $55,084.00
Educational and Library 75,619 $49,598.00 227,947 $38,099.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 40,328 $44,151.00 43,374 $34,010.00
Healthcare Practitioners 68,473 $78,709.00 239,702 $54,067.00
Healthcare Support 16,279 $27,529.00 125,785 $24,912.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 33,850 $39,934.00 12,794 $27,664.00
Law Enforcement 36,346 $50,061.00 8,934 $44,981.00
Food Preparation and Serving 112,915 $15,931.00 151,649 $13,882.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 110,042 $26,524.00 64,777 $16,881.00
Personal Care and Service 28,555 $21,592.00 88,791 $17,045.00
Sales 242,783 $44,241.00 255,737 $21,014.00
Office and Administrative Support 121,704 $37,643.00 375,181 $33,089.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 20,365 $25,169.00 5,066 $18,297.00
Construction and Extraction 235,068 $32,955.00 11,378 $27,155.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 158,203 $43,917.00 7,630 $37,107.00
Production 213,967 $38,573.00 113,568 $26,807.00
Transportation and Material Moving 146,279 $39,576.00 25,117 $26,247.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 4,034,684 households in North Carolina, with an average household size of 2.5 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 2,616,198 families in North Carolina with an average family size of 3.1 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 1,922,696 180,016 513,486 1,418,486
Average Household Size 3.12 3.33 3.37 1.25
Total Families 1,922,696 180,016 513,486 0
Average Household Size 3.1 2.93 3.17 0

Poverty

Of the 2,616,198 families in North Carolina, 9.70% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in North Carolina:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 4,673,933 housing units in North Carolina.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 4,034,684 86.32%
Vacant 639,249 13.68%

27.52% of the total 4,673,933 housing units in North Carolina are rental units. This is approximately 1,286,163 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 2,660,519 are occupied by the owner - or 56.92% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in North Carolina is $988.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in North Carolina that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    88,002
  • Less than $500
    116,169
  • $500 to $999
    541,552
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    434,987
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    142,282
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    32,846
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    9,345
  • $3,000 or more
    8,982

Property Value

The median value of a property in North Carolina is $197,500.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in North Carolina that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    189,136
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    336,918
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    398,563
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    423,653
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    567,464
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    503,145
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    203,455
  • $1,000,000 or more
    38,185

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in North Carolina. The chart below shows the number of properties in North Carolina that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    238,213
  • 1940 to 1949
    155,926
  • 1950 to 1959
    314,212
  • 1960 to 1969
    390,810
  • 1970 to 1979
    613,302
  • 1980 to 1989
    694,238
  • 1990 to 1999
    892,432
  • 2000 to 2009
    874,195
  • 2010 to 2013
    489,273
  • 2014 or later
    11,332

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in North Carolina that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    220,918
  • 1 vehicle available
    1,262,874
  • 2 vehicles available
    1,536,968
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    1,013,924

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in North Carolina get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in North Carolina that commute to work in a particular way.

25 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in North Carolina.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    121,213
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    415,754
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    614,724
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    736,246
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    669,212
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    312,118
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    575,224
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    144,530
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    153,238
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    318,676
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    189,947
  • 90 or more minutes
    92,165

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for North Carolina in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Counties in North Carolina

We have data for 100 counties in North Carolina. Click on a county below to see more information about the demographics of that county, with links to cities and towns within that county.

Zip Codes in North Carolina

If you want to find out more about the population and demographics of specific zip codes in North Carolina, click on the links below.