Halifax County, North Carolina Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Halifax 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 averageAmong the 3 least healthy counties in North Carolina
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D
Income Well below averageLess wealthy than 93% of counties in North Carolina
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F
Education Well below averageLess educated than 87% of counties in North Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Halifax County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 47,661 | 10,724,323 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 65.2 | 199.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -1.27% | 0.97% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 41.8 | 37.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 20,378 | 4,279,225 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Halifax County declined by 13.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 47,661 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Halifax County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 21.7% of residents. That is 1.1 points above North Carolina as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 9,163 19.2% -2.6 pts
- Millennials 29–44 8,806 18.5% -2.9 pts
- Gen X 45–60 10,326 21.7% +1.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 10,122 21.2% +4.2 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 51.4% of the people living in Halifax County and men 48.6%.
- Women 51.4% North Carolina 51.1%
- Men 48.6% North Carolina 48.9%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Halifax County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Halifax County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Halifax County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $45,442 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.21% | 5.20% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 9.3% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Halifax County is about 37% lower than in North Carolina.
Housing
| Metric | Halifax County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $266,060 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $813 | $1,227 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 62.9% | 66.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Halifax County is about 27.3 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $813 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Halifax 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 172 hours, about 7.2 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Halifax County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 20.6 | 21.9 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 41.2 | 43.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 172 | 182 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,324 | $5,645 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 8.4% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 6,449 | 8,330 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 464 | 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 Halifax 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
Halifax County has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Halifax County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.6% | 31.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.28 | 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
Halifax County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Halifax County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 75.4 | 77.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 22.9% | 16.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 24.7% | 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).
Halifax County, NC Compared With Nearby Counties
How Halifax County, NC compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halifax County, NC | 47,661 | $45,442 #3/3 | $266,060 #1/3 | 20.6 min #3/3 |
| Edgecombe County, NC | 48,736 | $51,050 | $134,077 | 18.9 min |
| Nash County, NC | 96,212 | $64,380 | $182,462 | 20.5 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Halifax County, North Carolina.
How many people live in Halifax County, North Carolina?
About 47,661 people live in Halifax County, North Carolina, in 20,378 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 41.8, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 4 years.
Is Halifax County, North Carolina mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Halifax County, North Carolina has 65 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 Halifax County, North Carolina?
The median home costs 5.9 times the median household income ($266,060 against $45,442), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $813 a month takes about 21% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Halifax County, North Carolina?
Unemployment in Halifax County, North Carolina is 9.3%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
How common is a college degree in Halifax County, North Carolina?
14.6% of adults in Halifax County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 7), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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