Chowan County, North Carolina Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Chowan 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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C
Health Below average
-
D
Income Well below average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Chowan County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,836 | 10,724,323 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 59.2 | 199.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.63% | 0.97% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 46.5 | 37.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 6,134 | 4,279,225 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Chowan County declined by 5.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 13,836 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Chowan County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 24.6% of residents. That is 7.6 points above North Carolina as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 2,399 17.3% -4.5 pts
- Millennials 29–44 2,411 17.4% -4.0 pts
- Gen X 45–60 2,929 21.2% +0.6 pts
- Boomers 61–79 3,404 24.6% +7.6 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 52.3% of the people living in Chowan County and men 47.7%.
- Women 52.3% North Carolina 51.1%
- Men 47.7% North Carolina 48.9%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Chowan County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Chowan County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Chowan County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,822 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.28% | 5.20% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Chowan County is about 22% lower than in North Carolina.
Housing
| Metric | Chowan County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $445,528 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $681 | $1,227 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 70.5% | 66.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Chowan County is about 54.5 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $681 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Chowan County spend about 41 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 173 hours, about 7.2 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Chowan County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 20.7 | 21.9 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 41.5 | 43.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 173 | 182 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,356 | $5,645 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 8.0% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,890 | 8,330 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 671 | 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 Chowan County is 21 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
Chowan County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Chowan County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.3% | 31.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.21 | 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
Chowan County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Chowan County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.3 | 77.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 17.4% | 16.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 19.0% | 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).
Chowan County, NC Compared With Nearby Counties
How Chowan County, NC compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chowan County, NC | 13,836 | $56,822 #2/2 | $445,528 #1/2 | 20.7 min #2/2 |
| Pasquotank County, NC | 40,823 | $65,195 | $104,038 | 18.6 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Chowan County, North Carolina.
How many people live in Chowan County, North Carolina?
About 13,836 people live in Chowan County, North Carolina, in 6,134 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 46.5, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 9 years.
How densely populated is Chowan County, North Carolina?
Averaged over its land area, Chowan County, North Carolina has 59 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is close to the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Chowan County, North Carolina?
The median home costs 7.8 times the median household income ($445,528 against $56,822), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $681 a month takes about 14% 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 Chowan County, North Carolina?
Unemployment in Chowan County, North Carolina is only 4.1%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How educated are people in Chowan County, North Carolina?
23.3% of adults in Chowan County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 4), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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