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COUNTY

New Hanover County

North Carolina · 245,959 residents (2025 est.) · 192.255 sq mi
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Notable rankings
#124Most densely populatedof 3,1441,279
The short version

New Hanover County has roughly average household income, with a median household income of $75,166. Population has grown 47% since 2000. 45% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $387,800. 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
Mid-age
median age 39.9
US median: 38.9
More educated
45% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 66%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
235,229
+47%since 2000
from 160,307 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
1,224 / sq mi
+24%since 2009
from 985 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
39.9
+10%since 2000
from 36.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:245,959 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
109K143K178K212K247K1990201020202024New Hanover County
2024235K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.6%(10,834)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.6%(10,837)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.5%(12,845)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.4%(15,002)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 249.1%(21,457)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413.1%(30,812)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.6%(29,551)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.3%(28,824)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.9%(30,257)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411.4%(26,754)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.8%(13,559)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.9%(4,497)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$75,166
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,172 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$48,592
+110%since 2000
from $23,123 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
50.1%
+21.4 ptssince 2009
from 28.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
12.3%
−0.8 ptssince 2000
from 13.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.482
−1%since 2010
from 0.485 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information11.3%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade7.9%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services7.2%
US avg: 6.7%
Retail trade6.8%
US avg: 9.9%
Public administration4.5%
US avg: 4.8%
Finance & insurance3.5%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical2.8%
US avg: 5.1%
Arts, entertainment, food2.7%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing2.2%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services0.7%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.4%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$387,800
+66%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $127,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,417
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $631 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
61.4%
−3.3 ptssince 2000
from 64.7% in 2000
38.6% rent
Vacancy rate
12.7%
−2.9 ptssince 2009
from 15.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
22.7%
−7.7 ptssince 2009
from 30.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
52.0%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 51.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
5.2
+13%since 2009
from 4.6 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
64
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in New Hanover County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic78.9%(126,453)
Black16.8%(27,001)
Hispanic / Latino2%(3,276)
Asian0.8%(1,325)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic74.7%(175,818)
Black10.7%(25,279)
Hispanic / Latino7.9%(18,547)
Asian1.4%(3,194)
Other5.3%(12,391)
Diversity Score
53
+17%since 2009
from 45 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
34
−10%since 2020
from 38 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
Mexican3.4%(7,897)
Central American1.6%(3,674)
Puerto Rican1.3%(2,970)
Honduran0.9%(2,116)
South American0.7%(1,647)
Cuban0.3%(813)
Colombian0.3%(776)
Salvadoran0.3%(757)
Chilean0.2%(389)
Guatemalan0.2%(370)
Dominican0.2%(358)
Panamanian0.1%(336)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Spaniard0.1%(327)
Venezuelan0.1%(190)
Bolivian0.1%(122)
Argentine0%(115)
Peruvian0%(21)
Asian origin
Korean0.4%(933)
Chinese0.3%(786)
Filipino0.1%(345)
Vietnamese0.1%(265)
Asian Indian0.1%(262)
Burmese0.1%(144)
Hmong0%(94)
Taiwanese0%(80)
Japanese0%(72)
Thai0%(64)
Nepalese0%(32)
+ 3 more asian origin groups with data
Cambodian0%(29)
Pakistani0%(22)
Kazakh0%(9)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.1%(130)
Samoan0%(108)
Ancestry
English15.8%(37,267)
Irish13.1%(30,919)
German11.7%(27,431)
Italian6%(14,135)
American5%(11,693)
Scottish2.9%(6,713)
Polish2.4%(5,723)
French2.2%(5,170)
Scotch-Irish1.9%(4,420)
Swedish1%(2,337)
Welsh0.8%(1,780)
+ 46 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch0.7%(1,729)
British0.7%(1,718)
Norwegian0.6%(1,517)
Arab0.6%(1,369)
Russian0.5%(1,169)
Greek0.4%(1,041)
Brazilian0.4%(891)
Hungarian0.4%(886)
Danish0.4%(863)
Ukrainian0.3%(741)
West Indian0.3%(739)
Canadian0.3%(650)
Czech0.3%(617)
Slovak0.2%(549)
Swiss0.2%(543)
Lebanese0.2%(507)
Lithuanian0.2%(489)
Portuguese0.2%(479)
Austrian0.2%(466)
Romanian0.1%(333)
Croatian0.1%(266)
Jordanian0.1%(226)
Haitian0.1%(223)
Jamaican0.1%(220)
Belgian0.1%(202)
Australian0.1%(201)
Nigerian0.1%(197)
Syrian0.1%(170)
Guyanese0.1%(167)
Moroccan0.1%(160)
Slovene0.1%(147)
Finnish0.1%(133)
Iranian0%(97)
Serbian0%(92)
Egyptian0%(80)
Ghanaian0%(70)
Ethiopian0%(65)
Turkish0%(63)
Barbadian0%(61)
Armenian0%(59)
Israeli0%(54)
Latvian0%(14)
RANKED:Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest Italian population · Largest American population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
45.4%
+14.4 ptssince 2000
from 31.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
94.0%
+7.7 ptssince 2000
from 86.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
16.0%
+7.3 ptssince 2000
from 8.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
20.6 min
+60%since 2000
from 12.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
70.8%
−11.1 ptssince 2009
from 81.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
6.1%
−3.4 ptssince 2009
from 9.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.2%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
19.4%
+15.4 ptssince 2009
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.4%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.6%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.6%
−1.2 ptssince 2009
from 6.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.5%
−4.6 ptssince 2011
from 9.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
65.7%
−0.9 ptssince 2011
from 66.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
10.7%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
46.0%
−20.5 ptssince 2009
from 66.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
47.6%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 48.2% in 2009
Female
52.4%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 51.8% in 2009
Foreign born
5.9%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.9%
−40.6 ptssince 2009
from 47.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
12.1%
Unchangedsince 2012
from 12.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
9.6%
−74.2 ptssince 2013
from 83.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
93.3%
+11.8 ptssince 2017
from 81.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
91.9%
−1.0 ptssince 2016
from 92.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
5.4%
+0.8 ptssince 2016
from 4.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married39.1%(36,906)
Married50.5%(47,681)
Widowed2.6%(2,455)
Divorced7.8%(7,368)
Women 15+
Never married32.7%(34,810)
Married45.8%(48,711)
Widowed8%(8,507)
Divorced13.4%(14,275)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare New Hanover County to nearby counties

NEW HANOVER COUNTY VS
Pender County
Income$80,396+7%
Home value$299,000−23%
Population72,111−71%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NEW HANOVER COUNTY VS
Brunswick County
Income$77,024+2%
Home value$349,800−10%
Population174,702−29%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NEW HANOVER COUNTY VS
Columbus County
Income$49,442−34%
Home value$146,000−62%
Population50,487−79%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NEW HANOVER COUNTY VS
Onslow County
Income$68,148−9%
Home value$236,400−39%
Population217,175−12%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in New Hanover County, North Carolina?

New Hanover County, North Carolina has about 235,229 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in New Hanover County, North Carolina earns about $75,166 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is New Hanover County, North Carolina expensive?

In New Hanover County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $387,800, and the typical rent is about $1,417 a month.

How educated are people in New Hanover County, North Carolina?

About 45.4% of adults age 25 and over in New Hanover County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in New Hanover County, North Carolina?

About 12.3% of people in New Hanover County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has New Hanover County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, New Hanover County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 114,945 residents, a change of about 96 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

55 census tracts (top 20 by population)
Census Tract 117.05Census Tract 123Census Tract 121.06Census Tract 120.08Census Tract 105.04Census Tract 116.08Census Tract 120.09Census Tract 121.11Census Tract 116.12Census Tract 120.07Census Tract 103Census Tract 116.09Census Tract 115.02Census Tract 116.11Census Tract 117.01Census Tract 116.05Census Tract 120.10Census Tract 120.11Census Tract 121.09Census Tract 121.03
10 ZIP codes
ZIP 28412ZIP 28403ZIP 28411ZIP 28409ZIP 28405ZIP 28401ZIP 28429ZIP 28428ZIP 28480ZIP 28449
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →