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COUNTY

Harnett County

North Carolina · 150,137 residents (2025 est.) · 595.066 sq mi
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Notable rankings
#131Fastest growingof 3,135+12.4%
The short version

Harnett County has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $71,287. The county has grown rapidly, with population up 53% since 2000. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $246,200. It sits in the top 10% of US counties for household income.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 35.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 68%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
139,150
+53%since 2000
from 91,025 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
234 / sq mi
+28%since 2009
from 183 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
35.6
+10%since 2000
from 32.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:150,137 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
61K82K103K125K146K1990201020202024Harnett County
2024139K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 57%(9,700)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.9%(9,591)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147.5%(10,413)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.6%(9,120)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.9%(8,210)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3415.1%(21,023)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4414.3%(19,899)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.9%(16,507)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6411.2%(15,614)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 748.3%(11,519)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 843.9%(5,488)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.5%(2,066)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$71,287
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,105 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$33,463
+99%since 2000
from $16,775 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
47.6%
+25.9 ptssince 2009
from 21.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
13.7%
−1.2 ptssince 2000
from 14.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.442
+7%since 2010
from 0.413 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information12.5%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade11.8%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade10.1%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance5.3%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services4.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration3.2%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food1.7%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.5%
US avg: 2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.1%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction1%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services0.7%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$246,200
+68%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $80,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,112
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $486 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
71.0%
+0.8 ptssince 2000
from 70.3% in 2000
29.0% rent
Vacancy rate
9.2%
−3.9 ptssince 2009
from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
21.3%
−7.1 ptssince 2009
from 28.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
40.4%
−3.9 ptssince 2009
from 44.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.5
+23%since 2009
from 2.8 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
81
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Harnett County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic68.9%(62,708)
Black22.4%(20,371)
Hispanic / Latino5.9%(5,336)
Asian0.6%(573)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic58.2%(81,041)
Black19.8%(27,559)
Hispanic / Latino15.1%(21,043)
Asian0.9%(1,233)
Other5.9%(8,274)
Diversity Score
74
+17%since 2009
from 63 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
18
+8%since 2020
from 17 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

Hispanic origin
Mexican7.5%(10,503)
Puerto Rican3.2%(4,430)
Central American1.8%(2,518)
Honduran0.7%(976)
Cuban0.5%(723)
Salvadoran0.5%(662)
Spaniard0.3%(473)
Guatemalan0.3%(472)
Colombian0.3%(368)
Dominican0.3%(348)
Peruvian0.2%(254)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Costa Rican0.2%(222)
Panamanian0.1%(111)
Ecuadorian0.1%(84)
Venezuelan0.1%(77)
Nicaraguan0.1%(75)
Argentine0%(33)
Chilean0%(18)
Asian origin
Filipino0.3%(402)
Chinese0.2%(295)
Korean0.2%(257)
Japanese0.1%(120)
Asian Indian0.1%(94)
Vietnamese0.1%(89)
Cambodian0%(31)
Laotian0%(15)
Thai0%(8)
Hmong0%(7)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.2%(217)
Chamorro0.2%(217)
Ancestry
English10.2%(14,250)
Irish8.4%(11,628)
German8.1%(11,284)
American7.4%(10,306)
Italian3%(4,207)
Scottish1.8%(2,555)
Scotch-Irish1.5%(2,051)
French1.2%(1,688)
Polish1.1%(1,591)
West Indian0.9%(1,232)
British0.5%(761)
+ 41 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.5%(724)
Dutch0.3%(485)
Jamaican0.3%(454)
Swedish0.3%(357)
Greek0.3%(355)
Haitian0.2%(325)
Danish0.2%(288)
Portuguese0.2%(286)
Russian0.2%(245)
Hungarian0.2%(239)
Canadian0.2%(237)
Welsh0.2%(230)
Arab0.1%(200)
Brazilian0.1%(151)
Nigerian0.1%(149)
Ghanaian0.1%(136)
Kenyan0.1%(116)
Slovak0.1%(108)
Lithuanian0.1%(104)
Ukrainian0.1%(80)
Swiss0.1%(75)
Czech0%(68)
Lebanese0%(59)
Moroccan0%(59)
Iranian0%(50)
Barbadian0%(50)
Finnish0%(30)
Guyanese0%(26)
Austrian0%(23)
Egyptian0%(17)
Belgian0%(13)
Bulgarian0%(10)
Slovene0%(6)
RANKED:Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest Mexican population · Largest American population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
24.5%
+11.7 ptssince 2000
from 12.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
88.6%
+13.6 ptssince 2000
from 75.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
8.4%
+5.0 ptssince 2000
from 3.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
32.8 min
+55%since 2000
from 21.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
78.9%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 80.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.9%
−2.6 ptssince 2009
from 12.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.1%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
8.8%
+5.8 ptssince 2009
from 3.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.4%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.2%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
3.9%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.7%
−6.2 ptssince 2011
from 10.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
59.8%
−3.5 ptssince 2011
from 63.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
12.8%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
36.0%
−24.3 ptssince 2009
from 60.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.6%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 49.0% in 2009
Female
50.4%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 51.0% in 2009
Foreign born
6.5%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 6.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
11.8%
−34.8 ptssince 2009
from 46.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
16.0%
+2.2 ptssince 2012
from 13.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
9.7%
−74.7 ptssince 2013
from 84.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
85.2%
+10.2 ptssince 2017
from 75.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
87.7%
−2.1 ptssince 2016
from 89.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
10.3%
+2.0 ptssince 2016
from 8.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married32.3%(17,348)
Married53.8%(28,904)
Widowed3.4%(1,800)
Divorced10.5%(5,644)
Women 15+
Never married26.4%(14,723)
Married53.3%(29,739)
Widowed8.1%(4,502)
Divorced12.2%(6,786)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

Places similar to Harnett County

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Pop 154,327
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Pop 144,368
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Pop 162,845
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Pop 149,375
Places similar to Harnett County
Head to head

Compare Harnett County to nearby counties

HARNETT COUNTY VS
Lee County
Income$65,387−8%
Home value$240,200−2%
Population70,258−53%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HARNETT COUNTY VS
Cumberland County
Income$61,291−14%
Home value$199,200−19%
Population338,473+125%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HARNETT COUNTY VS
Johnston County
Income$83,384+17%
Home value$305,600+24%
Population256,448+71%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HARNETT COUNTY VS
Chatham County
Income$94,317+32%
Home value$446,200+81%
Population85,111−43%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Harnett County, North Carolina?

Harnett County, North Carolina has about 139,150 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Harnett County, North Carolina earns about $71,287 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Harnett County, North Carolina expensive?

In Harnett County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $246,200, and the typical rent is about $1,112 a month.

How educated are people in Harnett County, North Carolina?

About 24.5% of adults age 25 and over in Harnett County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Harnett County, North Carolina?

About 13.7% of people in Harnett County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Harnett County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Harnett County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 71,328 residents, a change of about 105 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

28 census tracts (top 20 by population)
Census Tract 713.03Census Tract 714.02Census Tract 712.04Census Tract 713.02Census Tract 704.02Census Tract 705Census Tract 708.02Census Tract 711.02Census Tract 707Census Tract 714.01Census Tract 706Census Tract 709.04Census Tract 703Census Tract 710.03Census Tract 712.02Census Tract 701Census Tract 713.01Census Tract 710.02Census Tract 704.01Census Tract 709.01
11 ZIP codes
ZIP 27526ZIP 28326ZIP 27501ZIP 28390ZIP 27546ZIP 27505ZIP 28339ZIP 27521ZIP 28323ZIP 27506ZIP 28368
Up the hierarchy
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Rankings
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →