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CITY · 2020 ACS

Kernersville

North Carolina · 26,449 residents · 18.8 sq mi
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The short version

With 26,449 people, Kernersville is a city in North Carolina. Since 2000 the city has risen by half, up 9,323 people. At a median age of 42.2, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Owners hold 54% of the housing stock. 7% of people here were born outside the United States. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $196,400.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 42.2
US median: 38.8
Average education
32% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
26,449
+54%since 2000
from 17,126 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
42.2
+23%since 2000
from 34.3 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
18.8 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
9K14K19K24K30K19902000201020202024Kernersville
202428K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55%(1,329)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.8%(1,525)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146%(1,583)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196%(1,583)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.9%(1,567)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3413%(3,442)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.3%(2,993)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5414.2%(3,767)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6413.5%(3,567)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7411.2%(2,963)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.8%(1,538)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.2%(592)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$56,991
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $41,520 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$33,590
+43%since 2000
from $23,506 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
37.1%
+6.4 ptssince 2009
from 30.7% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
11.8%
+3.3 ptssince 2000
from 8.4% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information14.3%
US avg: 11.1%
Retail trade13.6%
US avg: 10%
Other services7.5%
US avg: 6.6%
Public administration6.6%
US avg: 4.7%
Wholesale trade5.8%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance4.2%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical3.8%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing2.8%
US avg: 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food0.6%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.3%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction0.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$196,400
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $121,000 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$851
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $527 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
54.4%
+0.8 ptssince 2000
from 53.6% in 2000
45.6% rent
Persons per household
2.30 people
−3%since 2009
from 2.36 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
3.4
+3%since 2009
from 3.4 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.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic81.4%(13,941)
Black8.6%(1,481)
Hispanic / Latino7.4%(1,261)
Asian1.2%(207)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic66.9%(17,690)
Black15.3%(4,050)
Hispanic / Latino10.7%(2,834)
Asian2%(524)
Other2.9%(778)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican7.1%(1,761)
Puerto Rican1.9%(466)
Salvadoran1.5%(379)
Cuban0.4%(88)
Ecuadorian0.1%(23)
Costa Rican0.1%(18)
Guatemalan0.1%(17)
Honduran0.1%(14)
Colombian0%(11)
Asian origin
Chinese0.2%(62)
Asian Indian0.2%(58)
Filipino0.2%(56)
Korean0.2%(44)
Japanese0.1%(36)
Hmong0.1%(28)
Vietnamese0.1%(23)
Malaysian0.1%(20)
Taiwanese0%(10)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(10)
Ancestry
German11.7%(2,913)
English11.5%(2,855)
Irish9.4%(2,338)
American9.2%(2,287)
Italian2.8%(686)
Scotch-Irish2.4%(592)
Scottish2.2%(553)
French2%(505)
Polish1.9%(473)
British0.9%(213)
Dutch0.7%(169)
+ 24 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh0.5%(132)
Norwegian0.4%(96)
Swedish0.4%(96)
Danish0.3%(79)
Finnish0.3%(75)
Russian0.3%(74)
Hungarian0.2%(56)
Ukrainian0.2%(53)
Swiss0.2%(46)
Slovak0.2%(38)
Austrian0.1%(30)
Canadian0.1%(26)
Greek0.1%(26)
Portuguese0.1%(24)
Lithuanian0.1%(18)
Croatian0.1%(14)
Latvian0.1%(14)
Ethiopian0.1%(14)
Czech0%(12)
Iranian0%(10)
Belgian0%(8)
Slovene0%(8)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
32.0%
+6.1 ptssince 2000
from 25.9% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
90.1%
+8.2 ptssince 2000
from 81.9% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
10.2%
+2.9 ptssince 2000
from 7.3% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
23.1 min
+75%since 2000
from 13.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
81.1%
−5.7 ptssince 2009
from 86.9% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
4.3%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 5.9% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.1%
−3.3 ptssince 2011
from 7.4% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
65.9%
−5.1 ptssince 2011
from 71.0% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
74.5%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
42.4%
+7.8 ptssince 2009
from 34.6% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
47.6%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 48.1% in 2009
Female
52.4%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 51.9% in 2009
Foreign born
7.3%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 7.3% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
9.2%
−3.4 ptssince 2013
from 12.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
92.9%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
83.8%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married33%(3,545)
Married54.9%(5,898)
Widowed2.1%(223)
Divorced10%(1,075)
Women 15+
Never married28.1%(3,335)
Married46.3%(5,499)
Widowed11.7%(1,394)
Divorced13.8%(1,643)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
9.2%
−3.4 ptssince 2013
from 12.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
54.6%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
16.4%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
19.5%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
16.3%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
2.5%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
69.1%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
33.7%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)26%(351)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)22.1%(298)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era35.9%(484)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War4.5%(61)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II2.1%(28)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 1,350 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
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Kernersville to nearby cities

KERNERSVILLE VS
High Point
Income$64,561+13%
Home value$235,800+20%
Population120,571+314%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KERNERSVILLE VS
Winston-Salem
Income$59,268+4%
Home value$233,800+19%
Population257,271+783%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KERNERSVILLE VS
Summerfield
Income$160,275+181%
Home value$521,900+166%
Population11,327−61%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KERNERSVILLE VS
Greensboro
Income$61,515+8%
Home value$244,800+25%
Population308,667+960%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Kernersville, North Carolina?

Kernersville, North Carolina has about 26,449 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Kernersville, North Carolina?

The typical household in Kernersville, North Carolina earns about $56,991 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Kernersville, North Carolina expensive?

In Kernersville, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $196,400, and the typical rent is about $851 a month.

How educated are people in Kernersville, North Carolina?

About 32.0% of adults age 25 and over in Kernersville, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Kernersville, North Carolina?

About 11.8% of people in Kernersville, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Kernersville, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Kernersville, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 15,613 residents, a change of about 144 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 →