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COUNTY · 2010 ACS

Chowan County

North Carolina · 14,793 residents · 173 sq mi
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The short version

Chowan County is a county of 14,793 people in North Carolina. The median age is 44.8, about 8 years above the US median. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 16% of adults. The foreign-born share is 3%. The typical home is worth $137,000, having more than doubled since 2000. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 19%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Older
median age 44.8
US median: 37.2
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 42%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
14,793
+2%since 2000
from 14,526 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
44.8
+13%since 2000
from 39.8 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
173 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
13K14K14K15K15K19902000201020202024Chowan County
202414K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 55.9%(879)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 96.1%(905)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 146.3%(933)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 196.1%(900)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 244.9%(732)
US avg: 7%
25 to 3410.4%(1,534)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 4410.4%(1,543)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5414.8%(2,196)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 6415.3%(2,263)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 7410.8%(1,594)
US avg: 7%
75 to 846.3%(932)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over2.6%(382)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$36,761
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,928 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$20,900
+39%since 2000
from $15,027 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
19.6%
+2.1 ptssince 2009
from 17.5% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
Poverty rate
17.4%
−0.2 ptssince 2000
from 17.6% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.476
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Wholesale trade13.6%
US avg: 7.2%
Retail trade12.8%
US avg: 10.9%
Information9.9%
US avg: 11.5%
Finance & insurance4.8%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services4.4%
US avg: 7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3.9%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction3.9%
US avg: 1.4%
Professional, scientific, technical3%
US avg: 4.2%
Public administration2.3%
US avg: 4.9%
Transportation & warehousing2.1%
US avg: 3.1%
Education & health services1.7%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food0.6%
US avg: 2.4%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$137,000
+42%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $76,100 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$622
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $429 in 2000
US average: $853
Owner-occupied
69.2%
−3.0 ptssince 2000
from 72.2% in 2000
30.8% rent
Vacancy rate
17.9%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 18.8% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
Persons per household
2.43 people
−5%since 2009
from 2.55 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
Owner cost-burdened
32.4%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 32.2% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
Renter cost-burdened
35.4%
+6.2 ptssince 2009
from 29.2% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
Afford Score
3.7
+14%since 2009
from 3.3 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-Hispanic59.9%(8,703)
Black37.3%(5,415)
Hispanic / Latino1.5%(219)
Asian0.3%(50)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic61.1%(9,040)
Black34.2%(5,054)
Hispanic / Latino3.2%(467)
Asian0.3%(51)
Other1.6%(239)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.3%(347)
Puerto Rican0.3%(50)
Cuban0.1%(22)
Ancestry
American15.8%(2,351)
English11%(1,628)
Irish8.1%(1,208)
German5.9%(878)
Italian2.5%(376)
Scotch-Irish1.3%(197)
Polish1.2%(183)
French1.2%(172)
Scottish1.2%(171)
British1.1%(167)
Dutch0.6%(89)
Russian0.5%(72)
+ 12 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh0.5%(68)
Greek0.4%(62)
Slovene0.4%(62)
Arab0.3%(50)
Lebanese0.3%(39)
West Indian0.1%(14)
Jamaican0.1%(14)
Syrian0.1%(11)
Hungarian0.1%(9)
Czech0%(7)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
15.7%
−0.7 ptssince 2000
from 16.4% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
77.4%
+4.3 ptssince 2000
from 73.1% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
Graduate degree
4.6%
−0.6 ptssince 2000
from 5.2% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
28.5 min
+45%since 2000
from 19.7 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
Drive alone to work
70.2%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 69.8% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
Carpooled to work
18.6%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 19.4% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
Public transit
0.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
Worked from home
2.4%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
Walked to work
2.9%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
Biked to work
0.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
No vehicle available
13.3%
+2.0 ptssince 2009
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

Self-employed
17.0%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 16.6% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
Management & professional
27.4%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 27.2% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.1%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 48.5% in 2009
Female
50.9%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 51.5% in 2009
Foreign born
3.4%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
Veterans
9.6%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married29.1%(1,629)
Married56.3%(3,157)
Widowed3.7%(210)
Divorced10.8%(608)
Women 15+
Never married28.3%(1,707)
Married51.4%(3,098)
Widowed10%(602)
Divorced10.2%(617)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
8.2%
−7.8 ptssince 2013
from 16.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
45.1%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 45.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
21.1%
+2.6 ptssince 2020
from 18.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
28.0%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 27.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
26.1%
+3.3 ptssince 2020
from 22.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
5.9%
+3.3 ptssince 2020
from 2.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
62.4%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 62.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
51.5%
+3.4 ptssince 2020
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)31.6%(372)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era49.5%(583)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2%(24)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Chowan County to nearby counties

CHOWAN COUNTY VS
Perquimans County
Income$67,917+85%
Home value$231,700+69%
Population13,490−4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHOWAN COUNTY VS
Washington County
Income$41,813+14%
Home value$125,900−8%
Population10,638−24%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHOWAN COUNTY VS
Bertie County
Income$48,750+33%
Home value$98,500−28%
Population17,086+21%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHOWAN COUNTY VS
Pasquotank County
Income$66,589+81%
Home value$234,600+71%
Population42,201+200%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Chowan County, North Carolina?

Chowan County, North Carolina has about 14,793 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Chowan County, North Carolina?

The typical household in Chowan County, North Carolina earns about $36,761 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 $137,000, and the typical rent is about $622 a month.

How educated are people in Chowan County, North Carolina?

About 15.7% 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 17.4% 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 1,287 residents, a change of about 10 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 →