Craven County, North Carolina Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Craven 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 75% of counties in North Carolina
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C
Income Below averageWealthier than 74% of counties in North Carolina
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D
Education Well below averageBetter educated than 74% of counties in North Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Craven County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 102,613 | 10,724,323 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 132.7 | 199.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.15% | 0.97% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 37.1 | 37.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 42,877 | 4,279,225 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Craven County grew by 6.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 102,613 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Craven County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 22.8% of residents. That is 0.9 points above North Carolina as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 23,388 22.8% +0.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 19,199 18.7% -2.7 pts
- Gen X 45–60 18,594 18.1% -2.4 pts
- Boomers 61–79 20,511 20.0% +3.0 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 50.0% of the people living in Craven County and men 50.0%.
- Women 50.0% North Carolina 51.1%
- Men 50.0% North Carolina 48.9%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Craven County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Craven County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Craven County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $65,003 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.91% | 5.20% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Craven County is about 10% lower than in North Carolina.
Housing
| Metric | Craven County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $78,096 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,110 | $1,227 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 68.4% | 66.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Craven County is about 5.9 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,110 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Craven County spend about 36 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 148 hours, about 6.2 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Craven County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 17.8 | 21.9 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 35.5 | 43.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 148 | 182 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,588 | $5,645 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 7.5% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 5,381 | 8,330 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,096 | 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 Craven County is 18 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
Craven County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Craven County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.9% | 31.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.29 | 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
Craven County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Craven County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 76.6 | 77.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 14.5% | 16.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 18.1% | 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).
Craven County, NC Compared With Nearby Counties
Craven County, NC is the 3rd largest of the 4 counties compared here, 102,613 residents against a local median of 177,193. Craven County, NC's median home price, at $78,096, runs 69% below the $249,582 typical of the counties around it.
The counties themselves spread $234,321 on median home price, so Craven County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Craven County, NC has the 4th highest median home price of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craven County, NC | 102,613 | $65,003 #2/4 | $78,096 #4/4 | 17.8 min #2/4 |
| Beaufort County, NC | 44,493 | $58,253 | $92,916 | 20.0 min |
| Onslow County, NC | 207,702 | $68,395 | $327,237 | 20.1 min |
| Pitt County, NC | 177,193 | $57,898 | $249,582 | 17.5 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Craven County, North Carolina.
How many people live in Craven County, North Carolina?
About 102,613 people live in Craven County, North Carolina, in 42,877 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 37.1, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Craven County, North Carolina mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Craven County, North Carolina has 133 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 1.5 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Craven County, North Carolina?
The median home costs 1.2 times the median household income ($78,096 against $65,003), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,110 a month takes about 20% 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 Craven County, North Carolina?
Unemployment in Craven County, North Carolina is only 3.7%, 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 Craven County, North Carolina?
22.9% of adults in Craven 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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