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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Sampson County

North Carolina · 59,036 residents · 946 sq mi
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The short version

With 59,036 people, Sampson County is a county in North Carolina. 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. Median home value sits at $97,500. The poverty rate is 21.7%, above the 12.8% national rate. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 24%. Median rent is $682 a month.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 40.5
US median: 38.8
Less educated
14% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
59,036
−2%since 2000
from 60,161 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
40.5
+16%since 2000
from 35.0 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
946 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
46K51K56K61K66K19902000201020202024Sampson County
202459K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.9%(3,489)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.4%(3,785)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 147.2%(4,224)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 197.1%(4,171)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.7%(3,365)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3411.1%(6,580)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4412.2%(7,229)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5412.9%(7,607)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6413.4%(7,913)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7410.7%(6,288)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.5%(3,272)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.9%(1,113)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$42,914
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,793 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$23,502
+57%since 2000
from $14,976 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
25.3%
+6.7 ptssince 2009
from 18.7% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
21.7%
+4.1 ptssince 2000
from 17.6% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade14.5%
US avg: 10%
Information13.8%
US avg: 11.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing10.4%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction10.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Wholesale trade9.8%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance5.4%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical4.9%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing2.6%
US avg: 2.5%
Other services2.1%
US avg: 6.6%
Public administration1.7%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food0.7%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.5%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$97,500
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $66,400 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$682
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $387 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
70.2%
−3.2 ptssince 2000
from 73.5% in 2000
29.8% rent
Persons per household
2.68 people
−3%since 2009
from 2.77 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
2.3
−9%since 2009
from 2.5 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-Hispanic56.8%(34,190)
Black29.7%(17,871)
Hispanic / Latino10.8%(6,477)
Asian0.3%(157)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic50.4%(29,729)
Black23.6%(13,944)
Hispanic / Latino20.7%(12,249)
Asian0.4%(216)
Other3.6%(2,115)
Segregation Score
23
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
Mexican11.8%(7,445)
Central American4.8%(3,032)
Honduran3.7%(2,342)
Puerto Rican0.8%(515)
Cuban0.5%(326)
Guatemalan0.5%(319)
Salvadoran0.4%(272)
Colombian0.2%(117)
Dominican0.2%(99)
Nicaraguan0.1%(93)
Chilean0.1%(38)
+ 4 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Vietnamese0.2%(135)
Asian Indian0.2%(105)
Korean0.1%(50)
Chinese0.1%(40)
Filipino0%(23)
Ancestry
American7.8%(4,926)
English6.6%(4,159)
Irish3.1%(1,970)
German2.2%(1,389)
Scotch-Irish1.7%(1,107)
Scottish1.1%(724)
Italian0.8%(513)
Polish0.6%(396)
Palestinian0.6%(361)
French0.5%(300)
Russian0.2%(144)
+ 31 more ancestry groups with data
West Indian0.2%(137)
Norwegian0.2%(127)
Welsh0.2%(109)
Dutch0.2%(105)
Danish0.2%(95)
British0.1%(78)
Swedish0.1%(60)
Arab0.1%(56)
Lithuanian0.1%(54)
Portuguese0.1%(50)
Jamaican0.1%(43)
Israeli0.1%(41)
Hungarian0%(29)
Ukrainian0%(28)
Greek0%(23)
Haitian0%(18)
Croatian0%(12)
Swiss0%(12)
Finnish0%(11)
Austrian0%(10)
Syrian0%(8)
Czech0%(8)
Belgian0%(5)
Slovak0%(2)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
14.4%
+3.4 ptssince 2000
from 11.1% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
81.0%
+11.8 ptssince 2000
from 69.1% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
4.3%
+1.0 ptssince 2000
from 3.2% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
27.7 min
+54%since 2000
from 18.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
83.4%
+3.5 ptssince 2009
from 79.9% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
5.7%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
6.8%
−3.9 ptssince 2011
from 10.6% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
58.2%
−4.5 ptssince 2011
from 62.7% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
68.9%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
27.9%
+1.5 ptssince 2009
from 26.4% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.2%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 49.5% in 2009
Female
50.8%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 50.5% in 2009
Foreign born
9.6%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
15.5%
−4.1 ptssince 2013
from 19.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
86.0%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
89.4%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
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
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
15.5%
−4.1 ptssince 2013
from 19.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
41.1%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
12.7%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
21.2%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
26.5%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
2.5%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
52.1%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
44.3%
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)12.8%(417)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)21.6%(704)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era37.4%(1,218)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War6%(195)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II0.6%(19)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 3,261 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
Drill deeper

Places similar to Sampson County

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Pop 62,987
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Pop 58,898
Jackson County
Pop 54,281
Walker County
Pop 65,140
Places similar to Sampson County
Head to head

Compare Sampson County to nearby counties

SAMPSON COUNTY VS
Duplin County
Income$55,148+29%
Home value$137,400+41%
Population51,571−16%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAMPSON COUNTY VS
Cumberland County
Income$61,291+43%
Home value$199,200+104%
Population338,473+450%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAMPSON COUNTY VS
Bladen County
Income$42,422−1%
Home value$135,100+39%
Population30,007−51%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAMPSON COUNTY VS
Wayne County
Income$59,733+39%
Home value$178,700+83%
Population122,278+99%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Sampson County, North Carolina?

Sampson County, North Carolina has about 59,036 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Sampson County, North Carolina earns about $42,914 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 $97,500, and the typical rent is about $682 a month.

How educated are people in Sampson County, North Carolina?

About 14.4% 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 21.7% 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 11,739 residents, a change of about 25 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 →