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COUNTY

Sampson County

North Carolina · 61,504 residents (2025 est.) · 945.93 sq mi
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The short version

Sampson County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $52,432. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $150,700. The poverty rate of 21.8% is well above the national figure. Households here earn about 28% less than the North Carolina median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
59,470
−1%since 2000
from 60,161 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
63 / sq mi
−6%since 2009
from 67 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
39.7
+13%since 2000
from 35.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:61,504 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
46K51K56K61K66K1990201020202024Sampson County
202459K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.5%(3,855)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 97.1%(4,203)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.7%(3,960)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.7%(3,966)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.2%(3,676)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3411.3%(6,725)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.9%(7,100)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.7%(7,573)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.8%(7,619)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.8%(6,424)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.7%(3,368)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.7%(1,001)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$52,432
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,793 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$27,307
+82%since 2000
from $14,976 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
36.5%
+17.9 ptssince 2009
from 18.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
21.8%
+4.3 ptssince 2000
from 17.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.451
−1%since 2010
from 0.457 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade13.2%
US avg: 9.9%
Information11.8%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade9.5%
US avg: 6.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing8.5%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction8.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Finance & insurance5.8%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4.2%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services3.4%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration2.3%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing2.1%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services1.6%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food0.6%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$150,700
+25%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $66,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$834
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $387 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
73.8%
+0.4 ptssince 2000
from 73.5% in 2000
26.2% rent
Vacancy rate
16.4%
+2.1 ptssince 2009
from 14.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
18.2%
−8.5 ptssince 2009
from 26.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
39.2%
−3.1 ptssince 2009
from 42.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.9
+15%since 2009
from 2.5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
37
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Sampson County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic56.8%(34,190)
Black29.7%(17,871)
Hispanic / Latino10.8%(6,477)
Asian0.3%(157)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic49.2%(29,244)
Black24%(14,293)
Hispanic / Latino22%(13,098)
Asian0.4%(255)
Other4.3%(2,580)
Diversity Score
81
+6%since 2009
from 77 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
24
+8%since 2020
from 23 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
Mexican12.1%(7,219)
Central American6.5%(3,868)
Honduran2.7%(1,629)
Guatemalan1.9%(1,107)
Salvadoran1.2%(722)
Cuban0.6%(382)
Dominican0.5%(271)
Puerto Rican0.3%(166)
Colombian0.2%(142)
Nicaraguan0.1%(70)
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Vietnamese0.3%(149)
Asian Indian0.1%(38)
Filipino0.1%(31)
Thai0%(15)
Nepalese0%(11)
Chinese0%(8)
Korean0%(3)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.1%(57)
Ancestry
English7.7%(4,601)
American6.5%(3,876)
Irish3.3%(1,971)
German2%(1,188)
Scotch-Irish1.1%(672)
Italian0.8%(470)
Scottish0.8%(458)
French0.4%(249)
Arab0.4%(232)
Palestinian0.4%(211)
Dutch0.2%(124)
+ 28 more ancestry groups with data
Polish0.2%(118)
West Indian0.2%(98)
British0.1%(84)
Ukrainian0.1%(82)
Nigerian0.1%(81)
Haitian0.1%(75)
Welsh0.1%(62)
Danish0.1%(60)
Norwegian0.1%(34)
Czech0.1%(32)
Lithuanian0.1%(32)
Jamaican0%(17)
Lebanese0%(12)
Syrian0%(9)
Swedish0%(8)
Finnish0%(7)
Greek0%(5)
Serbian0%(4)
Swiss0%(3)
Belgian0%(2)
RANKED:Largest Mexican population · Largest English population · Largest American population · Largest Central American population · Largest Irish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
16.2%
+5.2 ptssince 2000
from 11.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
84.1%
+15.0 ptssince 2000
from 69.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
4.7%
+1.4 ptssince 2000
from 3.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
26.5 min
+47%since 2000
from 18.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
82.4%
+2.5 ptssince 2009
from 79.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
10.1%
−5.3 ptssince 2009
from 15.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.9%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
4.9%
+3.2 ptssince 2009
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.6%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
4.8%
−2.2 ptssince 2009
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.3%
−5.4 ptssince 2011
from 10.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
56.4%
−6.4 ptssince 2011
from 62.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
13.0%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
31.6%
−24.8 ptssince 2009
from 56.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.9%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 49.5% in 2009
Female
50.1%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 50.5% in 2009
Foreign born
10.6%
+1.2 ptssince 2009
from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.9%
−42.0 ptssince 2009
from 48.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
15.7%
−1.2 ptssince 2012
from 16.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
15.6%
−64.8 ptssince 2013
from 80.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
84.7%
+26.4 ptssince 2017
from 58.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
80.7%
−3.3 ptssince 2016
from 83.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
18.7%
+3.4 ptssince 2016
from 15.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married34.3%(8,062)
Married51.1%(12,015)
Widowed4.3%(1,004)
Divorced10.3%(2,416)
Women 15+
Never married27.8%(6,663)
Married47.5%(11,381)
Widowed12.8%(3,060)
Divorced11.9%(2,851)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Head to head

Compare Sampson County to nearby counties

SAMPSON COUNTY VS
Duplin County
Income$55,148+5%
Home value$137,400−9%
Population51,571−16%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAMPSON COUNTY VS
Cumberland County
Income$61,291+17%
Home value$199,200+32%
Population338,473+450%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAMPSON COUNTY VS
Bladen County
Income$42,422−19%
Home value$135,100−10%
Population30,007−51%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAMPSON COUNTY VS
Wayne County
Income$59,733+14%
Home value$178,700+19%
Population122,278+99%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Sampson County, North Carolina?

Sampson County, North Carolina has about 59,470 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Sampson County, North Carolina earns about $52,432 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Sampson County, North Carolina expensive?

In Sampson County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $150,700, and the typical rent is about $834 a month.

How educated are people in Sampson County, North Carolina?

About 16.2% of adults age 25 and over in Sampson County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

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

About 21.8% of people in Sampson County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Sampson County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Sampson County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 12,173 residents, a change of about 26 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

20 census tracts
Census Tract 9707.02Census Tract 9703.02Census Tract 9708.02Census Tract 9705.02Census Tract 9706Census Tract 9702.02Census Tract 9701.02Census Tract 9703.04Census Tract 9704.02Census Tract 9709Census Tract 9703.03Census Tract 9710.01Census Tract 9704.01Census Tract 9708.01Census Tract 9707.01Census Tract 9701.01Census Tract 9710.02Census Tract 9702.01Census Tract 9705.01Census Tract 9710.03
11 ZIP codes
ZIP 28328ZIP 28334ZIP 28382ZIP 28344ZIP 28366ZIP 28318ZIP 28341ZIP 28385ZIP 28441ZIP 28444ZIP 28393
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →