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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Wayne County

North Carolina · 117,333 residents · 554 sq mi
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The short version

With 117,333 people, Wayne County is a county in North Carolina. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 20% of adults. The typical home is worth $125,900, having risen by half since 2000. 18.7% of people here live below the federal poverty line. 7% of people here were born outside the United States. Median household income is $47,221, under the $66,278 national median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 39.0
US median: 38.8
Less educated
20% 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
117,333
+4%since 2000
from 113,329 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
39.0
+12%since 2000
from 34.8 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
554 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
103K109K115K121K126K19902000201020202024Wayne County
2024119K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 56%(7,013)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.3%(7,430)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146.6%(7,779)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196.7%(7,901)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.7%(7,811)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412.9%(15,085)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.6%(13,568)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5412%(14,024)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6413.7%(16,117)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7410.5%(12,308)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.3%(6,174)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.8%(2,123)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$47,221
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,942 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$26,362
+55%since 2000
from $17,010 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
28.6%
+8.8 ptssince 2009
from 19.8% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
18.7%
+4.9 ptssince 2000
from 13.8% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade13.8%
US avg: 10%
Information13.3%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade6.2%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance4.4%
US avg: 5.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing4.2%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction4.1%
US avg: 1.2%
Other services3.5%
US avg: 6.6%
Professional, scientific, technical3.4%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing2.7%
US avg: 2.5%
Public administration2.4%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food1%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.9%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$125,900
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $77,000 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$784
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $455 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
62.4%
−2.9 ptssince 2000
from 65.4% in 2000
37.6% rent
Persons per household
2.51 people
+4%since 2009
from 2.42 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
2.7
+5%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-Hispanic59.8%(67,756)
Black32.9%(37,230)
Hispanic / Latino4.9%(5,604)
Asian0.9%(1,063)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic51.3%(60,199)
Black30.1%(35,329)
Hispanic / Latino12.7%(14,927)
Asian1.3%(1,542)
Other3.6%(4,178)
Segregation Score
37
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
Mexican7.5%(9,335)
Central American2.8%(3,509)
Guatemalan1.8%(2,283)
Puerto Rican0.9%(1,171)
Honduran0.6%(717)
Salvadoran0.3%(414)
Colombian0.2%(303)
Cuban0.1%(132)
Spaniard0.1%(75)
Nicaraguan0.1%(63)
Dominican0%(61)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.4%(455)
Chinese0.2%(305)
Korean0.2%(200)
Filipino0.2%(192)
Japanese0.1%(79)
Thai0.1%(75)
Nepalese0.1%(68)
Laotian0%(21)
Hmong0%(15)
Burmese0%(6)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(38)
Samoan0%(2)
Ancestry
American20.5%(25,371)
English9%(11,119)
Irish7.3%(9,056)
German5.6%(6,902)
Italian1.8%(2,276)
Scotch-Irish1.3%(1,636)
French1.3%(1,625)
Scottish1.1%(1,325)
West Indian0.8%(947)
Haitian0.6%(771)
British0.6%(740)
+ 38 more ancestry groups with data
Polish0.5%(588)
Hungarian0.4%(466)
Dutch0.4%(461)
Welsh0.3%(423)
Swedish0.3%(406)
Norwegian0.2%(266)
Portuguese0.2%(230)
Lebanese0.2%(206)
Arab0.2%(201)
Ukrainian0.2%(196)
Czech0.1%(150)
Danish0.1%(105)
Swiss0.1%(82)
Russian0.1%(78)
Brazilian0.1%(76)
Canadian0.1%(71)
Slovak0.1%(70)
Jamaican0.1%(64)
Greek0%(61)
Belgian0%(57)
Kenyan0%(51)
Armenian0%(47)
Ghanaian0%(39)
Syrian0%(37)
Austrian0%(36)
Guyanese0%(34)
Egyptian0%(27)
Turkish0%(25)
Croatian0%(13)
Romanian0%(13)
Slovene0%(1)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
19.8%
+4.8 ptssince 2000
from 15.0% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
85.5%
+8.3 ptssince 2000
from 77.2% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
6.2%
+1.4 ptssince 2000
from 4.7% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.0 min
+52%since 2000
from 14.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
81.4%
−2.4 ptssince 2009
from 83.8% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
7.6%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 7.8% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.4%
−5.1 ptssince 2011
from 10.5% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
60.4%
−3.3 ptssince 2011
from 63.7% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
69.9%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
29.6%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 30.5% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.0%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 48.7% in 2009
Female
51.0%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 51.3% in 2009
Foreign born
7.0%
+2.3 ptssince 2009
from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
13.0%
−3.4 ptssince 2013
from 16.4% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
88.1%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
85.1%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
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
13.0%
−3.4 ptssince 2013
from 16.4% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
41.1%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
12.5%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
19.9%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
23.9%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
4.2%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
59.6%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
41.8%
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)31.9%(3,736)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)37.6%(4,402)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era30.7%(3,595)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War4.2%(494)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II1.2%(141)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 11,699 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+13%
Home value$117,400−7%
Population20,700−83%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WAYNE COUNTY VS
Lenoir County
Income$45,143−4%
Home value$120,500−4%
Population55,837−54%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WAYNE COUNTY VS
Johnston County
Income$83,384+77%
Home value$305,600+143%
Population256,448+110%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WAYNE COUNTY VS
Wilson County
Income$56,423+19%
Home value$186,000+48%
Population81,150−34%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Wayne County, North Carolina?

Wayne County, North Carolina has about 117,333 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Wayne County, North Carolina earns about $47,221 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 $125,900, and the typical rent is about $784 a month.

How educated are people in Wayne County, North Carolina?

About 19.8% 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 18.7% 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 12,667 residents, a change of about 12 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 →