North Carolina Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
North Carolina Population Density Map and Area Scores
State Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around averageLess healthy than 70% of states in the US
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C
Income Below averageLess wealthy than 73% of states in the US
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C
Education Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | North Carolina | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,724,323 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 199.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.97% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 37.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 4,279,225 | 130,235,071 |
Population in North Carolina grew by 18.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 10,724,323 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in North Carolina is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 21.9% of residents. That is 0.4 points above the US as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 2,344,402 21.9% +0.4 pts
- Millennials 29–44 2,296,320 21.4% -0.8 pts
- Gen X 45–60 2,203,725 20.5% +0.7 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,823,464 17.0% +0.1 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 the US, 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 51.1% of the people living in North Carolina and men 48.9%.
- Women 51.1% the US 50.5%
- Men 48.9% the US 49.5%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in North Carolina
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
North Carolina has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | North Carolina | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.20% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in North Carolina is about 10% lower than in US.
Housing
| Metric | North Carolina | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,227 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 66.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in North Carolina is about 18.9 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,227 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in North Carolina spend about 44 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 182 hours, about 7.6 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | North Carolina | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 21.9 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 43.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 182 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,645 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 8,330 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 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 North Carolina is about the same as in US.
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
North Carolina has a education index of C, which means it is somewhat educated.
| Metric | North Carolina | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 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
North Carolina has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | North Carolina | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 16.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 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).
North Carolina Compared With Nearby States
North Carolina is the largest of the 6 states compared here, 10,724,323 residents against a local median of 5,295,781. The measure that sets North Carolina apart most is median household income: $72,438, 23% below the local median of $93,527. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The states themselves spread $50,931 on median household income, so North Carolina sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. North Carolina has the 4th highest median household income of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | 10,724,323 | $72,438 #4/6 | $278,288 #2/6 | 21.9 min #2/6 |
| Virginia | 8,702,460 | $93,527 | $256,082 | 23.2 min |
| South Carolina | 5,295,781 | $69,383 | $239,609 | 22.3 min |
| West Virginia | 1,778,099 | $59,640 | $94,699 | 21.6 min |
| District of Columbia | 678,314 | $110,571 | $597,276 | 30.3 min |
| Maryland | 6,204,886 | $103,916 | $267,101 | 28.3 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about North Carolina.
How many people live in North Carolina?
About 10,724,323 people live in North Carolina, in 4,279,225 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 37.7, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is North Carolina urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, North Carolina has 199 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 2.3 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in North Carolina?
The median home costs 3.8 times the median household income ($278,288 against $72,438), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,227 a month takes about 20% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
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