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CITY

Morehead City

North Carolina · 10,434 residents (2025 est.) · 7.41 sq mi
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The short version

Morehead City is home to 9,806 people in North Carolina. Owners hold 47% of the housing stock. At a median age of 44.2, this is an older place than the country as a whole. The population is up 27% since 2000. 4% of residents were born outside the United States. The average commute runs 18 minutes.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 44.2
US median: 38.9
Average education
36% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 94%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
9,806
+27%since 2000
from 7,691 in 2000
10,434 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
1,324 / sq mi
+5%since 2009
from 1,262 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
44.2
+8%since 2000
from 41.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
7.41 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
6K7K8K9K10K19902000201020202024Morehead City
202410K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.4%(532)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.8%(469)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145%(486)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 194.9%(483)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.5%(641)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3414.6%(1,428)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.2%(1,097)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.1%(1,182)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.9%(1,265)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411.6%(1,140)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 847.6%(750)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over3.4%(333)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$56,233
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,737 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$43,126
+125%since 2000
from $19,138 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
38.0%
+15.4 ptssince 2009
from 22.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
18.1%
+3.5 ptssince 2000
from 14.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.486
+7%since 2010
from 0.453 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Other services12.5%
US avg: 6.7%
Information8.7%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade6.8%
US avg: 9.9%
Public administration6.2%
US avg: 4.8%
Finance & insurance4.1%
US avg: 5.9%
Wholesale trade3.9%
US avg: 6.9%
Professional, scientific, technical2.7%
US avg: 5.1%
Arts, entertainment, food1.7%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.6%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services1.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.6%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$357,400
+94%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $101,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,134
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $507 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
46.7%
−8.8 ptssince 2000
from 55.5% in 2000
53.3% rent
Vacancy rate
19.8%
−2.3 ptssince 2009
from 22.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
1.86 people
−8%since 2009
from 2.03 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
20.9%
−3.3 ptssince 2009
from 24.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
53.7%
+3.5 ptssince 2009
from 50.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
6.4
+23%since 2009
from 5.2 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
64
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic80.8%(6,213)
Black13.9%(1,071)
Hispanic / Latino2.3%(180)
Asian0.7%(52)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic77.4%(7,585)
Black5.4%(527)
Hispanic / Latino9.4%(926)
Asian1.1%(103)
Other6.8%(665)
Diversity Score
48
+29%since 2009
from 37 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
Puerto Rican3.4%(336)
Mexican2.7%(263)
Dominican1.2%(117)
Salvadoran0.7%(69)
Guatemalan0.4%(40)
Cuban0.3%(28)
Peruvian0.2%(20)
Chilean0.2%(18)
Asian origin
Asian Indian1.1%(103)
Ancestry
English27.1%(2,660)
German12.8%(1,258)
Irish9.8%(964)
Italian6%(586)
American4.8%(473)
Scottish2.3%(223)
Scotch-Irish1.6%(154)
French1.6%(152)
Polish1.2%(121)
British1.1%(112)
Dutch0.8%(78)
Norwegian0.6%(62)
+ 19 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh0.6%(58)
Russian0.5%(47)
Swedish0.5%(47)
Austrian0.5%(46)
Armenian0.3%(34)
Australian0.1%(14)
Danish0.1%(14)
Greek0.1%(13)
Romanian0.1%(13)
Ukrainian0.1%(12)
Czech0.1%(11)
Swiss0.1%(6)
Arab0%(3)
Slovene0%(1)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
35.6%
+14.8 ptssince 2000
from 20.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
90.2%
+10.1 ptssince 2000
from 80.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
11.1%
+5.8 ptssince 2000
from 5.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
18.1 min
+47%since 2000
from 12.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
81.9%
+4.9 ptssince 2009
from 77.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
3.5%
−10.6 ptssince 2009
from 14.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.4%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
12.1%
+7.8 ptssince 2009
from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.3%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
10.5%
+1.9 ptssince 2009
from 8.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
2.0%
−6.6 ptssince 2011
from 8.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
60.0%
−5.2 ptssince 2011
from 65.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
71.6%
−2.9 ptssince 2020
from 74.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
10.7%
−3.0 ptssince 2009
from 13.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
43.6%
+7.7 ptssince 2009
from 35.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
46.7%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 45.5% in 2009
Female
53.3%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 54.5% in 2009
Foreign born
4.0%
−1.2 ptssince 2009
from 5.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
9.0%
−2.0 ptssince 2009
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
18.0%
−0.1 ptssince 2012
from 18.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
10.0%
−11.7 ptssince 2013
from 21.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
87.8%
+14.0 ptssince 2017
from 73.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
94.1%
+5.3 ptssince 2020
from 88.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
81.6%
+2.5 ptssince 2020
from 79.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
90.8%
+0.5 ptssince 2016
from 90.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
7.3%
+0.9 ptssince 2016
from 6.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married33.2%(1,261)
Married45.1%(1,716)
Widowed4.8%(183)
Divorced16.9%(643)
Women 15+
Never married28.6%(1,292)
Married43.1%(1,945)
Widowed13.8%(623)
Divorced14.5%(656)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
10.0%
−11.7 ptssince 2013
from 21.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
48.7%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 48.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
19.9%
−3.8 ptssince 2020
from 23.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
24.7%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 24.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
22.9%
+5.1 ptssince 2020
from 17.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.0%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 4.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
68.7%
−2.4 ptssince 2020
from 71.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
42.7%
+2.8 ptssince 2020
from 39.9% 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)40.8%(296)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)44.6%(323)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era24.7%(179)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War8.1%(59)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 725 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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MOREHEAD CITY VS
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MOREHEAD CITY VS
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Morehead City, North Carolina?

Morehead City, North Carolina has about 9,806 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Morehead City, North Carolina?

The typical household in Morehead City, North Carolina earns about $56,233 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Morehead City, North Carolina expensive?

In Morehead City, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $357,400, and the typical rent is about $1,134 a month.

How educated are people in Morehead City, North Carolina?

About 35.6% of adults age 25 and over in Morehead City, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Morehead City, North Carolina?

About 18.1% of people in Morehead City, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Morehead City, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Morehead City, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,760 residents, a change of about 62 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 →