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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

New Hanover County

North Carolina · 225,702 residents · 192 sq mi
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The short version

New Hanover County is home to 225,702 people in North Carolina. Growth has run 41% since 2000, or 65,395 more people. 42% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The foreign-born share is 5%. The average commute runs 20 minutes. Median household income is $56,689, under the $66,278 national median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 40.6
US median: 38.8
More educated
42% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 34%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
225,702
+41%since 2000
from 160,307 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
40.6
+12%since 2000
from 36.3 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
192 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
109K143K178K212K247K19902000201020202024New Hanover County
2024235K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 54.6%(10,303)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95%(11,346)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 145.5%(12,496)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 195.6%(12,684)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 248.6%(19,354)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3413.3%(30,040)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4412.7%(28,707)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5412.3%(27,656)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6413%(29,313)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7411.6%(26,250)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.7%(12,901)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.1%(4,652)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$56,689
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,172 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$36,324
+57%since 2000
from $23,123 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
38.0%
+9.3 ptssince 2009
from 28.7% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
14.6%
+1.6 ptssince 2000
from 13.1% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information13.2%
US avg: 11.1%
Other services7.6%
US avg: 6.6%
Wholesale trade6.4%
US avg: 6.7%
Retail trade6.2%
US avg: 10%
Public administration4.4%
US avg: 4.7%
Finance & insurance3.2%
US avg: 5.5%
Arts, entertainment, food2.9%
US avg: 2%
Professional, scientific, technical2.5%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing2.3%
US avg: 2.5%
Education & health services0.7%
US avg: 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.4%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction0.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$258,200
+34%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $127,900 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,060
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $631 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
60.1%
−4.6 ptssince 2000
from 64.7% in 2000
39.9% rent
Persons per household
2.29 people
+2%since 2009
from 2.25 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
4.6
−1%since 2009
from 4.6 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-Hispanic78.9%(126,453)
Black16.8%(27,001)
Hispanic / Latino2%(3,276)
Asian0.8%(1,325)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic74.1%(167,150)
Black12%(26,974)
Hispanic / Latino7.7%(17,300)
Asian1.5%(3,468)
Other3%(6,773)
Segregation Score
38
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
Mexican2%(4,543)
Central American1.2%(2,781)
Puerto Rican1%(2,303)
Honduran0.6%(1,456)
South American0.5%(1,105)
Cuban0.4%(917)
Salvadoran0.4%(835)
Colombian0.3%(659)
Spaniard0.2%(502)
Dominican0.1%(262)
Peruvian0.1%(188)
Venezuelan0.1%(167)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Guatemalan0.1%(154)
Costa Rican0.1%(144)
Panamanian0%(114)
Argentine0%(39)
Chilean0%(32)
Asian origin
Korean0.4%(842)
Chinese0.3%(790)
Asian Indian0.2%(557)
Filipino0.2%(407)
Pakistani0.1%(171)
Vietnamese0.1%(157)
Japanese0%(76)
Taiwanese0%(65)
Laotian0%(46)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(29)
Ancestry
English11%(25,532)
German10.7%(24,721)
Irish10.6%(24,523)
Italian5.8%(13,378)
American5.5%(12,776)
Scottish3%(7,005)
Scotch-Irish2.6%(6,114)
Polish2.2%(5,188)
French1.9%(4,327)
British1%(2,310)
Swedish0.9%(2,081)
Dutch0.8%(1,830)
+ 43 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.8%(1,805)
Welsh0.7%(1,731)
Greek0.6%(1,332)
Russian0.5%(1,199)
French Canadian0.5%(1,061)
Danish0.4%(985)
Hungarian0.4%(942)
Ukrainian0.2%(531)
Austrian0.2%(514)
Portuguese0.2%(510)
West Indian0.2%(488)
Lebanese0.2%(462)
Turkish0.2%(453)
Swiss0.2%(451)
Czech0.2%(423)
Brazilian0.2%(395)
Canadian0.2%(357)
Finnish0.1%(338)
Slovak0.1%(316)
Lithuanian0.1%(279)
Romanian0.1%(269)
Nigerian0.1%(240)
Croatian0.1%(199)
Belgian0.1%(172)
Egyptian0.1%(140)
Jamaican0.1%(125)
Syrian0.1%(117)
Armenian0%(106)
Moroccan0%(76)
Haitian0%(74)
Latvian0%(71)
Iranian0%(62)
Ghanaian0%(61)
Ethiopian0%(40)
Arab0%(35)
Serbian0%(11)
Israeli0%(8)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
42.2%
+11.3 ptssince 2000
from 31.0% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
93.2%
+6.9 ptssince 2000
from 86.3% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
14.5%
+5.8 ptssince 2000
from 8.7% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.9 min
+54%since 2000
from 12.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
79.4%
−2.5 ptssince 2009
from 81.9% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
6.3%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 6.9% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.2%
−3.9 ptssince 2011
from 9.1% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
62.7%
−4.0 ptssince 2011
from 66.6% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
73.6%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
42.5%
+6.5 ptssince 2009
from 35.9% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
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
4.8%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
10.5%
−5.7 ptssince 2013
from 16.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
94.3%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
82.9%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
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
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
10.5%
−5.7 ptssince 2013
from 16.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
54.8%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
21.0%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
20.2%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
13.1%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
3.0%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
72.7%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
31.6%
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)22.3%(3,287)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)20.5%(3,027)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era34.6%(5,097)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War9.9%(1,461)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II2.5%(365)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 14,736 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
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Head to head

Compare New Hanover County to nearby counties

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NEW HANOVER COUNTY VS
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NEW HANOVER COUNTY VS
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NEW HANOVER COUNTY VS
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Frequently asked

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

New Hanover County, North Carolina has about 225,702 residents according to the 2020 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 $56,689 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 $258,200, and the typical rent is about $1,060 a month.

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

About 42.2% 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 14.6% 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 105,418 residents, a change of about 88 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 →