United States › North Carolina › Red Oak CITY
Red Oak North Carolina · 3,523 residents (2025 est.) · 19.5 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Red Oak is home to 3,405 people in North Carolina. 96% of homes are owner-occupied. At a median age of 49.5, this is an older place than the country as a whole. That puts it in the top 10% of US cities for household income. The foreign-born share is 0%. The poverty rate is 2.2%, under the national 12.5%.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 49.5
US median: 38.9
Average education
37% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 2,723 in 2000
3,523 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
174 / sq mi
+18%since 2009
from 147 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 39.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
0 941 2K 3K 4K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Red Oak Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $90,214
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $54,958 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $22,616 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 52.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 6.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.420 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 12.9%
Public administration 6.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 2%
Education & health services 1.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
Transportation & warehousing 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$271,800
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $122,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
from 86.0% in 2000
3.9% rent
from 8.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.39 people
−18%since 2009
from 2.91 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 16.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 42.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.1 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 89.9%(2,449)
Hispanic / Latino 1.3%(36)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 80.1%(2,726)
from 31 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry from 19.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 84.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 86.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 9.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 7.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 3.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 64.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 78.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 20.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 42.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 6.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 11.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 6.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 83.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 90.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 99.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 95.7% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 6.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 56.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 31.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 36.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 8.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 6.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 80.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 43.7% 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) 6%(21)
Gulf War (1990s) 39.8%(140)
Share of the 352 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.
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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Red Oak, North Carolina? Red Oak, North Carolina has about 3,405 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Red Oak, North Carolina? The typical household in Red Oak, North Carolina earns about $90,214 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Red Oak, North Carolina expensive? In Red Oak, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $271,800.
How educated are people in Red Oak, North Carolina? About 37.0% of adults age 25 and over in Red Oak, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Red Oak, North Carolina? About 2.2% of people in Red Oak, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Red Oak, North Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Red Oak, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,137 residents, a change of about 1171 percent over that period.
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