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MICROPOLITAN AREA · 2000 CENSUS

Morehead City Micro

Morehead City, NC · 1 counties · 59,383 residents · 508 sq mi
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The short version

Morehead City is home to 59,383 people. At a median age of 42.3, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Owners hold 77% of the housing stock. 20% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. 6,827 more people live here than in 1990. Median home value sits at $106,400.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 42.3
US median: 35.2
Less educated
20% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
59,383
+13%since 1990
from 52,556 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Population density
117 / sq mi
+13%since 1990
from 104 / sq mi in 1990
Median age
42.3
+18%since 1990
from 36.0 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
508 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
51K56K61K66K71K19902000201020202024Morehead City
202469K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 54.9%(2,913)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 95.6%(3,346)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.2%(3,678)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 195.9%(3,491)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 244.5%(2,693)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3411.5%(6,806)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4415.7%(9,345)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5415.7%(9,346)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 6412.7%(7,538)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 7410.1%(5,993)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 845.6%(3,312)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.6%(922)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$38,344
+13%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $25,811 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$21,260
+61%since 1990
from $13,227 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
10.7%
−0.9 ptssince 1990
from 11.6% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$106,400
+11%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $72,600 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$511
+1%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $385 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
76.6%
+2.4 ptssince 1990
from 74.2% in 1990
23.4% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic90.6%(47,618)
Black8.1%(4,262)
Hispanic / Latino0.7%(367)
Asian0.5%(237)
2000
White, non-Hispanic89.3%(53,041)
Black6.9%(4,121)
Hispanic / Latino1.7%(1,035)
Asian0.5%(307)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.8%(1,274)
Honduran0.3%(229)
Salvadoran0.3%(187)
Dominican0.2%(159)
Guatemalan0.2%(150)
Cuban0.2%(130)
Colombian0.2%(123)
Peruvian0.1%(97)
Spaniard0.1%(72)
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data
Panamanian0.1%(46)
Costa Rican0.1%(45)
Argentine0.1%(38)
Chilean0%(18)
Asian origin
Vietnamese0.3%(225)
Asian Indian0.2%(108)
Filipino0.1%(94)
Chinese0.1%(50)
Japanese0.1%(49)
Laotian0.1%(37)
Korean0%(17)
Burmese0%(2)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.1%(95)
Samoan0%(28)
Ancestry
English24.4%(16,903)
German13.8%(9,510)
Irish12.9%(8,935)
American7.5%(5,220)
Italian4.9%(3,356)
Scottish2.7%(1,883)
Scotch-Irish2.4%(1,666)
Polish2.4%(1,631)
French2.2%(1,551)
Dutch0.9%(624)
Norwegian0.7%(475)
Welsh0.6%(408)
+ 34 more ancestry groups with data
British0.6%(402)
Czech0.5%(329)
Russian0.5%(323)
Swedish0.4%(299)
Ukrainian0.3%(213)
Hungarian0.3%(204)
West Indian0.2%(157)
Portuguese0.2%(150)
Lithuanian0.2%(106)
Greek0.2%(104)
Slovak0.1%(101)
Jamaican0.1%(99)
Arab0.1%(97)
Danish0.1%(92)
Austrian0.1%(83)
Armenian0.1%(75)
Canadian0.1%(66)
Australian0.1%(52)
Romanian0.1%(47)
Finnish0.1%(46)
Lebanese0.1%(44)
Swiss0.1%(41)
Haitian0%(26)
Iranian0%(16)
Croatian0%(15)
Belgian0%(9)
Serbian0%(9)
Slovene0%(1)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
19.8%
+3.7 ptssince 1990
from 16.2% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
82.1%
+6.6 ptssince 1990
from 75.5% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
6.7%
+1.6 ptssince 1990
from 5.1% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
15.6 min
−17%since 1990
from 18.7 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married20.9%(5,019)
Married66.4%(15,928)
Widowed2.9%(693)
Divorced9.8%(2,340)
Women 15+
Never married14.3%(3,634)
Married63%(16,005)
Widowed11.7%(2,963)
Divorced11.1%(2,810)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
8.1%
−8.0 ptssince 2013
from 16.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
49.8%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 48.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
21.9%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 20.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
28.8%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 27.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
15.8%
+1.9 ptssince 2020
from 13.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
4.8%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 5.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
73.4%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 71.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
42.4%
+2.4 ptssince 2020
from 40.0% 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)30.6%(2,078)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)31.3%(2,125)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era38.4%(2,610)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.6%(378)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.1%(7)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 6,799 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
In this metro

Largest cities

Morehead CityCENTRAL10,434Beaufort4,912Newport4,500Emerald Isle3,970Cape Carteret2,273Broad Creek1,836Cedar Point1,825Pine Knoll Shores1,423Atlantic Beach1,408Brandywine Bay1,313Harkers Island1,060Peletier803Bogue706Atlantic522Marshallberg398Gloucester385Davis261Indian Beach231
What's inside

1 component county

Carteret CountyCENTRAL70,469
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Morehead City

Greenfield
Pop 70,698
Lewiston
Pop 65,450
Findlay
Pop 75,034
Casper
Pop 80,526
Places similar to Morehead City
Head to head

Compare Morehead City side by side

MOREHEAD CITY VS
Greenfield
Income$74,907+95%
Home value$329,000+209%
Population70,698same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MOREHEAD CITY VS
Lewiston
Income$72,490+89%
Home value$331,563+212%
Population65,450−7%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MOREHEAD CITY VS
Findlay
Income$73,141+91%
Home value$204,700+92%
Population75,034+6%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MOREHEAD CITY VS
Casper
Income$72,156+88%
Home value$273,000+157%
Population80,526+14%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Morehead City, NC?

Morehead City, NC has about 59,383 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Morehead City, NC?

The typical household in Morehead City, NC earns about $38,344 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Morehead City, NC expensive?

In Morehead City, NC, the median home is worth about $106,400, and the typical rent is about $511 a month.

How educated are people in Morehead City, NC?

About 19.8% of adults age 25 and over in Morehead City, NC hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Morehead City, NC?

About 10.7% of people in Morehead City, NC live below the federal poverty line.

Has Morehead City, NC grown since 1990?

Yes, Morehead City, NC has grown since 1990. The population has added about 6,827 residents, a change of about 13 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →