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COUNTY

Wayne County

North Carolina · 122,278 residents (2025 est.) · 554 sq mi
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The short version

With 118,652 people, Wayne County is a county in North Carolina. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 22% of adults. The typical home is worth $178,700, having more than doubled since 2000. Renters pay $965 a month at the median. Households here earn about 17% less than in North Carolina as a whole. 8% of people here were born outside the United States.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 37.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
22% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 27%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
118,652
+5%since 2000
from 113,329 in 2000
122,278 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
214 / sq mi
+5%since 2009
from 205 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
37.3
+7%since 2000
from 34.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
554 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
103K109K115K121K126K19902000201020202024Wayne County
2024119K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.4%(7,581)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.7%(7,892)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.5%(7,769)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.5%(7,771)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 247.2%(8,517)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413.7%(16,280)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.7%(13,888)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.6%(13,782)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.6%(14,910)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.4%(12,283)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.2%(6,157)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.5%(1,822)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$59,733
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,942 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$31,983
+88%since 2000
from $17,010 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
40.5%
+20.7 ptssince 2009
from 19.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
17.3%
+3.5 ptssince 2000
from 13.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.449
+5%since 2010
from 0.429 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade13.7%
US avg: 9.9%
Information12.9%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade6.2%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services5.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance5%
US avg: 5.9%
Public administration4%
US avg: 4.8%
Professional, scientific, technical3.7%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.8%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction2.7%
US avg: 1.2%
Transportation & warehousing2.5%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services1.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food1.1%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$178,700
+27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $77,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$965
+16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $455 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
61.5%
−3.9 ptssince 2000
from 65.4% in 2000
38.5% rent
Vacancy rate
11.2%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 12.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.44 people
+1%since 2009
from 2.42 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
17.0%
−6.7 ptssince 2009
from 23.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
43.1%
+4.8 ptssince 2009
from 38.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.0
+17%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.
Gentrification Score
42
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic59.8%(67,756)
Black32.9%(37,230)
Hispanic / Latino4.9%(5,604)
Asian0.9%(1,063)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic50.2%(59,511)
Black29.6%(35,089)
Hispanic / Latino13.7%(16,280)
Asian1.2%(1,403)
Other5.4%(6,369)
Diversity Score
80
+16%since 2009
from 69 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
32
−13%since 2020
from 37 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
Mexican7.2%(8,489)
Guatemalan2.5%(2,994)
Salvadoran1.1%(1,345)
Honduran1.1%(1,341)
Puerto Rican0.7%(784)
Dominican0.2%(233)
Colombian0.2%(178)
Cuban0.1%(144)
Costa Rican0.1%(139)
Spaniard0.1%(86)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.3%(330)
Filipino0.2%(293)
Thai0.1%(168)
Korean0.1%(156)
Chinese0.1%(138)
Vietnamese0.1%(133)
Bhutanese0.1%(105)
Japanese0%(25)
Pakistani0%(23)
Laotian0%(19)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.1%(72)
Samoan0%(46)
Tongan0%(22)
Fijian0%(11)
Ancestry
American16.2%(19,179)
English10.6%(12,523)
Irish7.8%(9,223)
German6.7%(7,901)
Italian1.8%(2,142)
Scottish1.6%(1,851)
French1.2%(1,411)
West Indian1.1%(1,262)
Haitian0.7%(882)
Scotch-Irish0.7%(842)
Polish0.5%(623)
Arab0.4%(424)
+ 37 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch0.4%(417)
Norwegian0.3%(398)
British0.3%(340)
Jamaican0.3%(315)
Welsh0.2%(294)
Swedish0.2%(276)
Hungarian0.2%(250)
Portuguese0.2%(206)
Greek0.2%(186)
Danish0.1%(155)
Czech0.1%(143)
Lebanese0.1%(141)
Canadian0.1%(129)
Belgian0.1%(96)
Russian0.1%(96)
Slovak0.1%(71)
Brazilian0.1%(70)
Serbian0.1%(60)
Swiss0%(49)
Egyptian0%(35)
Finnish0%(33)
Slovene0%(24)
Nigerian0%(22)
Austrian0%(20)
Romanian0%(16)
Armenian0%(11)
Croatian0%(11)
Latvian0%(9)
Syrian0%(1)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
21.7%
+6.8 ptssince 2000
from 15.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
86.4%
+9.2 ptssince 2000
from 77.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
6.6%
+1.9 ptssince 2000
from 4.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.9 min
+58%since 2000
from 14.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
81.3%
−2.5 ptssince 2009
from 83.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
11.3%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.3%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
5.4%
+2.8 ptssince 2009
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.7%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.2%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
6.8%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 7.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.2%
−5.2 ptssince 2011
from 10.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
61.2%
−2.5 ptssince 2011
from 63.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
71.7%
+1.8 ptssince 2020
from 69.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
15.0%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 16.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
32.0%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 30.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.8%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 48.7% in 2009
Female
50.2%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 51.3% in 2009
Foreign born
7.9%
+3.3 ptssince 2009
from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
11.5%
−3.7 ptssince 2009
from 15.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
15.5%
+0.5 ptssince 2012
from 15.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
12.1%
−4.3 ptssince 2013
from 16.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
90.0%
+17.2 ptssince 2017
from 72.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
93.5%
+5.4 ptssince 2020
from 88.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
86.1%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 85.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
85.2%
−2.2 ptssince 2016
from 87.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
12.2%
+2.7 ptssince 2016
from 9.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married37.1%(17,517)
Married50.9%(24,037)
Widowed2.9%(1,393)
Divorced9.1%(4,290)
Women 15+
Never married29.1%(14,013)
Married49.3%(23,766)
Widowed9.4%(4,551)
Divorced12.1%(5,843)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
12.1%
−4.3 ptssince 2013
from 16.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
41.3%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 41.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
11.8%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 12.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
20.2%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 19.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
27.0%
+3.1 ptssince 2020
from 23.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
4.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 4.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
58.0%
−1.6 ptssince 2020
from 59.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
44.9%
+3.1 ptssince 2020
from 41.8% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

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)35%(3,503)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)44.6%(4,455)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era26.1%(2,607)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.3%(333)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.8%(84)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 9,996 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

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Head to head

Compare Wayne County to nearby counties

WAYNE COUNTY VS
Greene County
Income$53,244−11%
Home value$117,400−34%
Population20,700−83%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WAYNE COUNTY VS
Lenoir County
Income$45,143−24%
Home value$120,500−33%
Population55,837−54%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WAYNE COUNTY VS
Johnston County
Income$83,384+40%
Home value$305,600+71%
Population256,448+110%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WAYNE COUNTY VS
Wilson County
Income$56,423−6%
Home value$186,000+4%
Population81,150−34%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Wayne County, North Carolina?

Wayne County, North Carolina has about 118,652 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Wayne County, North Carolina earns about $59,733 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Wayne County, North Carolina expensive?

In Wayne County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $178,700, and the typical rent is about $965 a month.

How educated are people in Wayne County, North Carolina?

About 21.7% of adults age 25 and over in Wayne County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

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

About 17.3% of people in Wayne County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Wayne County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Wayne County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 13,986 residents, a change of about 13 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 →