Hertford County, North Carolina Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Hertford 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 averageLess healthy than 84% of counties in North Carolina
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D
Income Well below averageLess wealthy than 94% of counties in North Carolina
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F
Education Well below averageLess educated than 70% of counties in North Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Hertford County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,906 | 10,724,323 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 55.2 | 199.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -2.41% | 0.97% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 40.2 | 37.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 8,285 | 4,279,225 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Hertford County declined by 14.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 19,906 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Hertford County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 21.9% of residents. That is 1.4 points above North Carolina as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 4,358 21.9% on par
- Millennials 29–44 3,586 18.0% -3.4 pts
- Gen X 45–60 4,359 21.9% +1.4 pts
- Boomers 61–79 4,045 20.3% +3.3 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 50.9% of the people living in Hertford County and men 49.1%.
- Women 50.9% North Carolina 51.1%
- Men 49.1% North Carolina 48.9%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Hertford County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Hertford County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Hertford County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $45,535 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.59% | 5.20% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Hertford County is about 37% lower than in North Carolina.
Housing
| Metric | Hertford County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $89,166 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $843 | $1,227 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 67.4% | 66.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Hertford County is about 8.8 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $843 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Hertford County spend about 42 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 174 hours, about 7.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Hertford County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 20.9 | 21.9 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 41.8 | 43.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 174 | 182 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,402 | $5,645 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 4.3% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,249 | 8,330 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 539 | 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 Hertford 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
Hertford County has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Hertford County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.9% | 31.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.20 | 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
Hertford County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Hertford County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 76.2 | 77.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 20.8% | 16.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 22.5% | 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).
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Hertford County, North Carolina.
How big is Hertford County, North Carolina by population?
About 19,906 people live in Hertford County, North Carolina, in 8,285 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 40.2, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 3 years.
Is Hertford County, North Carolina mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Hertford County, North Carolina has 55 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 64% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Hertford County, North Carolina?
The median home costs 2.0 times the median household income ($89,166 against $45,535), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $843 a month takes about 22% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
What share of adults in Hertford County, North Carolina have a college degree?
14.9% of adults in Hertford 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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