Person County is home to 39,542 people in North Carolina. 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. At a median age of 44.2, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 77% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 3%. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $213,900.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $63,300, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 44.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 37%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Person County
What changed most since 1990
White share68.6% → 64.2%(−4.5 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Median age34.8 → 44.2(+9.4 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
Poverty rate13.0% → 17.5%(+4.5 pts)US over the same years: −0.8 pts
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)21.2%(440)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)12.9%(267)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era42.4%(880)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War7%(145)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 2,075 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
Over time
Person County, decade by decade
Person County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
30,180
$61,502
$132,724
7.6%
54.7
2000
35,623
$67,691
$155,752
10.3%
57.0
2010
39,464
$64,258
$166,730
13.8%
60.0
2020
39,097
$69,478
$162,534
15.7%
64.8
2024
39,542
$63,300
$213,900
19.3%
64.5
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
How many people live in Person County, North Carolina?
Person County, North Carolina has about 39,542 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Person County, North Carolina?
The typical household in Person County, North Carolina earns about $63,300 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Person County, North Carolina expensive?
In Person County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $213,900, and the typical rent is about $864 a month.
How educated are people in Person County, North Carolina?
About 19.3% of adults age 25 and over in Person County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Person County, North Carolina?
About 17.5% of people in Person County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Person County, North Carolina grown since 1990?
Yes, Person County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 9,362 residents, a change of about 31 percent over that period.
