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CITY

Harkers Island

North Carolina · 1,060 residents · 2.24 sq mi
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The short version

Harkers Island is home to 1,060 people in North Carolina. The median age is 61.5, about 23 years above the US median. 89% of homes are owner-occupied. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 18% of adults. The population has fallen 30% since 2000. The foreign-born share is 4%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 61.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 76%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
1,060
−30%since 2000
from 1,525 in 2000
1990 – 2024
Population density
473 / sq mi
−15%since 2009
from 559 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
61.5
+25%since 2000
from 49.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
2.24 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
9901K1K2K2K19902000201020202024Harkers Island
20241K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.1%(54)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 93.1%(33)
US avg: 6%
10 to 143.1%(33)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 190.8%(8)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 242.6%(28)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3415.1%(160)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 445%(53)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 548.4%(89)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6421.1%(224)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7425.2%(267)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 848.7%(92)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.8%(19)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$60,000
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,125 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$36,684
+85%since 2000
from $19,790 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
39.2%
+18.6 ptssince 2009
from 20.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
10.4%
−5.1 ptssince 2000
from 15.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.343
−25%since 2010
from 0.457 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information18.2%
US avg: 10.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing9.3%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction9.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Retail trade8.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade3.7%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance2.8%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical2.1%
US avg: 5.1%
Education & health services0.7%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
Transportation & warehousing0%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food0%
US avg: 1.9%
Other services0%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration0%
US avg: 4.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$313,100
+76%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $97,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,125
+28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $481 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
89.4%
+2.6 ptssince 2000
from 86.8% in 2000
10.6% rent
Vacancy rate
60.5%
+15.4 ptssince 2009
from 45.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.21 people
−3%since 2009
from 2.28 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
15.5%
−11.1 ptssince 2009
from 26.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
0.0%
−33.3 ptssince 2009
from 33.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
5.2
−9%since 2009
from 5.7 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
47
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic98.5%(1,502)
Black0%(0)
Hispanic / Latino0.1%(2)
Asian0.2%(3)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic92.4%(979)
Black2.5%(27)
Hispanic / Latino3.8%(40)
Asian0.6%(6)
Other0.8%(8)
Diversity Score
18
from 0 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.8%(40)
Asian origin
Taiwanese0.6%(6)
Ancestry
English28.9%(306)
Irish11.1%(118)
German8.8%(93)
American8.4%(89)
Scottish6%(64)
Italian4.5%(48)
Scotch-Irish2.7%(29)
Polish1.6%(17)
Norwegian0.7%(7)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
18.3%
+11.0 ptssince 2000
from 7.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
92.5%
+30.4 ptssince 2000
from 62.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
10.7%
+7.8 ptssince 2000
from 2.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
30.4 min
+54%since 2000
from 19.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
79.0%
+11.4 ptssince 2009
from 67.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
10.4%
−18.0 ptssince 2009
from 28.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
2.7%
+2.7 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
8.0%
+4.0 ptssince 2009
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
0.0%
−16.5 ptssince 2009
from 16.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
0.0%
−6.7 ptssince 2011
from 6.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
45.5%
−11.5 ptssince 2011
from 57.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
68.9%
−5.5 ptssince 2020
from 74.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
9.1%
−5.8 ptssince 2009
from 14.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
44.4%
+17.4 ptssince 2009
from 27.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.4%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 47.6% in 2009
Female
51.6%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 52.4% in 2009
Foreign born
3.8%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
14.5%
+2.0 ptssince 2009
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
20.5%
−0.2 ptssince 2012
from 20.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
7.9%
−7.5 ptssince 2013
from 15.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
90.3%
+23.6 ptssince 2017
from 66.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
96.1%
+14.7 ptssince 2020
from 81.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
91.4%
+5.8 ptssince 2020
from 85.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
96.0%
Unchangedsince 2016
from 96.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
4.0%
+2.2 ptssince 2016
from 1.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married14.9%(67)
Married69.5%(312)
Widowed5.3%(24)
Divorced10.2%(46)
Women 15+
Never married19.6%(96)
Married57.6%(283)
Widowed18.1%(89)
Divorced4.7%(23)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
7.9%
−7.5 ptssince 2013
from 15.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
57.5%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 56.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
21.9%
+4.1 ptssince 2020
from 17.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
36.3%
+3.1 ptssince 2020
from 33.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
13.6%
+4.4 ptssince 2020
from 9.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
8.2%
+2.6 ptssince 2020
from 5.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
79.3%
+3.6 ptssince 2020
from 75.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
51.5%
+11.7 ptssince 2020
from 39.8% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)28.7%(39)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)41.2%(56)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era42.6%(58)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War7.4%(10)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 136 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Head to head

Compare Harkers Island to nearby cities

HARKERS ISLAND VS
Morehead City
Income$56,233−6%
Home value$357,400+14%
Population10,434+884%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HARKERS ISLAND VS
Havelock
Income$58,408−3%
Home value$207,700−34%
Population17,430+1544%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HARKERS ISLAND VS
New Bern
Income$61,031+2%
Home value$240,100−23%
Population34,724+3176%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HARKERS ISLAND VS
Piney Green
Income$72,177+20%
Home value$227,600−27%
Population14,078+1228%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Harkers Island, North Carolina?

Harkers Island, North Carolina has about 1,060 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Harkers Island, North Carolina?

The typical household in Harkers Island, North Carolina earns about $60,000 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Harkers Island, North Carolina expensive?

In Harkers Island, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $313,100, and the typical rent is about $1,125 a month.

How educated are people in Harkers Island, North Carolina?

About 18.3% of adults age 25 and over in Harkers Island, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Harkers Island, North Carolina?

About 10.4% of people in Harkers Island, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Harkers Island, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Harkers Island, North Carolina has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 696 residents, a change of about -40 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →