United States › North Carolina › Chowan County COUNTY
Chowan County North Carolina · 14,082 residents (2025 est.) · 173 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Chowan County is a county of 13,836 people in North Carolina. The median age is 48.6, about 10 years above the US median. 2% of people here were born outside the United States. About 25% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Renters pay $681 a month at the median. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 26%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 48.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
25% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 70%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 14,526 in 2000
14,082 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 85 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 39.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
13K 14K 14K 15K 15K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Chowan County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $53,864
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,928 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,027 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 17.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 17.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.476 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.9%
Transportation & warehousing 2.5%
Public administration 2.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.4%
Education & health services 0.4%
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$235,800
+70%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $76,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$681
−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $429 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 72.2% in 2000
29.5% rent
from 18.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.21 people
−13%since 2009
from 2.55 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 32.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 29.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.3 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 59.9%(8,703)
Hispanic / Latino 1.5%(219)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 60.4%(8,353)
from 63 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 31 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 16 more ancestry groups with data from 16.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 73.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 19.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 69.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 19.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 12.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 52.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 64.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 16.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 27.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 17.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 16.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 63.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 86.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 86.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 29.1%(1,629)
Women 15+
Never married 28.3%(1,707)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 16.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 45.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 18.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 27.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 22.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 62.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 48.1% 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) 13.3%(156)
Gulf War (1990s) 31.6%(372)
Share of the 1,177 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 Chowan County Head to head
Compare Chowan County to nearby counties CHOWAN COUNTY VS
Perquimans County
Income $67,917 +26%
Home value $231,700 −2%
Population 13,490 −4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHOWAN COUNTY VS
Washington County
Income $41,813 −22%
Home value $125,900 −47%
Population 10,638 −24%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHOWAN COUNTY VS
Bertie County
Income $48,750 −9%
Home value $98,500 −58%
Population 17,086 +21%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHOWAN COUNTY VS
Pasquotank County
Income $66,589 +24%
Home value $234,600 −1%
Population 42,201 +200%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Chowan County, North Carolina? Chowan County, North Carolina has about 13,836 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Chowan County, North Carolina? The typical household in Chowan County, North Carolina earns about $53,864 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Chowan County, North Carolina expensive? In Chowan County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $235,800, and the typical rent is about $681 a month.
How educated are people in Chowan County, North Carolina? About 25.0% of adults age 25 and over in Chowan County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Chowan County, North Carolina? About 19.1% of people in Chowan County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Chowan County, North Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Chowan County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 330 residents, a change of about 2 percent over that period.
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