Carteret County, North Carolina Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Carteret County, NC Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around averageHealthier than 81% of counties in North Carolina
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C
Income Below averageWealthier than 83% of counties in North Carolina
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C
Education Below averageBetter educated than 84% of counties in North Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Carteret County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 69,145 | 10,724,323 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 52.0 | 199.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.12% | 0.97% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 50.8 | 37.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 31,966 | 4,279,225 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Carteret County grew by 7.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 69,145 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Carteret County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 26.7% of residents. That is 9.7 points above North Carolina as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 11,107 16.1% -5.8 pts
- Millennials 29–44 12,068 17.5% -4.0 pts
- Gen X 45–60 15,255 22.1% +1.5 pts
- Boomers 61–79 18,460 26.7% +9.7 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below North Carolina, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.3% of the people living in Carteret County and men 48.7%.
- Women 51.3% North Carolina 51.1%
- Men 48.7% North Carolina 48.9%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Carteret County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Carteret County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Carteret County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $71,708 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.48% | 5.20% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Carteret County is about 1% lower than in North Carolina.
Housing
| Metric | Carteret County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $319,352 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,107 | $1,227 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.7% | 66.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Carteret County is about 24.0 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,107 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Carteret County spend about 38 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 158 hours, about 6.6 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Carteret County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 18.9 | 21.9 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 37.8 | 43.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 158 | 182 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,884 | $5,645 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 12.6% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 6,555 | 8,330 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,420 | 1,609 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
North Carolina:
Macon County (17.2 min), Watauga County (17.2 min), Dare County (17.4 min).
Slowest:
Gates County (35.9 min), Currituck County (33.9 min), Tyrrell County (33.6 min).
The average commute time in Carteret County is 19 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in North Carolina.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Carteret County has a education index of C, which means it is somewhat educated.
| Metric | Carteret County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.0% | 31.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.12 | 2.44 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
North Carolina:
Orange County (0.5), Wake County (0.4), Durham County (0.4).
Lowest:
Hyde County (0.2), Greene County (0.2), Tyrrell County (0.2).
Health
Carteret County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Carteret County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.6 | 77.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 13.4% | 16.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 17.7% | 20.7% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
North Carolina:
Orange County (0.8), Wake County (0.8), Watauga County (0.8).
Lowest:
Robeson County (0.8), Lenoir County (0.8), Halifax County (0.8).
Carteret County, NC Compared With Nearby Counties
How Carteret County, NC compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carteret County, NC | 69,145 | $71,708 #1/3 | $319,352 #1/3 | 18.9 min #2/3 |
| Craven County, NC | 102,613 | $65,003 | $78,096 | 17.8 min |
| Beaufort County, NC | 44,493 | $58,253 | $92,916 | 20.0 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Carteret County, North Carolina.
How big is Carteret County, North Carolina by population?
About 69,145 people live in Carteret County, North Carolina, in 31,966 households of 2.1 people on average. The median age is 50.8, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 14 years.
Is Carteret County, North Carolina mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Carteret County, North Carolina has 52 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 60% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Carteret County, North Carolina?
The median home costs 4.5 times the median household income ($319,352 against $71,708), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,107 a month takes about 19% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Carteret County, North Carolina?
Unemployment in Carteret County, North Carolina is only 4.0%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
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