United States › North Carolina › Roanoke Rapids CITY · 2020 ACS
Roanoke Rapids North Carolina · 15,229 residents · 9.91 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 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
Roanoke Rapids is home to 15,229 people in North Carolina. 20% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. The poverty rate is 25.0%, above the 12.8% national rate. Median home value sits at $107,400. 50% of homes are owner-occupied. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 32%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 41.1
US median: 38.8
Less educated
20% 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 from 36.8 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
15K 15K 16K 17K 17K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Roanoke Rapids Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $38,500
−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,745 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $15,972 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 19.8% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 18.8% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Transportation & warehousing 4.3%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.7%
Education & health services 1.6%
Public administration 1.1%
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$107,400
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $72,600 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$680
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $409 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 59.4% in 2000
49.9% rent
from 2.51 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 2.8 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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 71.6%(12,135)
Hispanic / Latino 1.1%(179)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 56.4%(8,585)
Hispanic / Latino 3.8%(576)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 9 more ancestry groups with data from 15.0% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 75.2% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 4.4% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 82.1% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 11.8% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 61.7% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 32.1% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 13.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 41.2%(2,260)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 13.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
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) 20%(155)
Gulf War (1990s) 29.3%(227)
Share of the 775 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
Places similar to Roanoke Rapids Head to head
Compare Roanoke Rapids to nearby cities ROANOKE RAPIDS VS
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ROANOKE RAPIDS VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina? Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina has about 15,229 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina? The typical household in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina earns about $38,500 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina expensive? In Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $107,400, and the typical rent is about $680 a month.
How educated are people in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina? About 20.3% of adults age 25 and over in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina? About 25.0% of people in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 493 residents, a change of about -3 percent over that period.
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