MICROPOLITAN AREA
New Bern Micro
New Bern, NC · 3 counties · 127,358 residents (2025 est.) · 1,514 sq mi
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The short version
New Bern is home to 124,304 people. 4% of residents were born outside the United States. About 27% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $222,544, having more than doubled since 2000. Owners hold 71% of the housing stock. Renters pay $1,047 a month at the median.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $64,793, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
27% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 47%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about New Bern
What changed most since 1990
- White share70.0% → 65.3% (−4.8 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
- Black share26.9% → 19.7% (−7.2 pts)US over the same years: +0.2 pts
- Median age31.3 → 41.0 (+9.7 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
Among the 38 metro and micro areas based in North Carolina
- 17th in household income$64,793
- 18th in share with a bachelor's degree26.7%
- 20th in home value$222,544
- 21st in diversity score65.6
Section 01
Population & growth
124,304
+8%since 2000
from 114,751 in 2000
127,358 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
1,514 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
2024124K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.7%(7,045)
5 to 95.7%(7,033)
10 to 145.6%(6,941)
15 to 195.7%(7,040)
20 to 247.7%(9,614)
25 to 3412.7%(15,825)
35 to 4411%(13,681)
45 to 5410.5%(13,086)
55 to 6413.3%(16,559)
65 to 7412.9%(16,016)
75 to 846.9%(8,550)
85 and over2.3%(2,914)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$64,793
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,294 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
42.8%
+18.0 ptssince 2009
from 24.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information12.6%
Retail trade10.9%
Finance & insurance5.3%
Wholesale trade5.1%
Professional, scientific, technical4.8%
Other services4.1%
Public administration2.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.7%
Transportation & warehousing1.4%
Construction1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food0.9%
Education & health services0.5%
Manufacturing0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$222,544
+47%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $82,988 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
3.4
+8%since 2009
from 3.2 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
41
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic68%(78,075)
Black25.8%(29,599)
Hispanic / Latino3.6%(4,130)
Asian0.8%(946)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic65.3%(81,143)
Black19.7%(24,497)
Hispanic / Latino7.3%(9,067)
Asian2.5%(3,129)
Other5.2%(6,468)
66
+14%since 2009
from 57 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
32
+7%since 2020
from 30 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
Mexican3.8%(4,704)
Puerto Rican1.6%(1,940)
Central American0.7%(795)
South American0.6%(703)
Cuban0.3%(429)
Colombian0.3%(323)
Salvadoran0.3%(317)
Honduran0.2%(233)
Guatemalan0.2%(212)
Dominican0.1%(153)
Ecuadorian0.1%(153)
Peruvian0.1%(104)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Burmese1%(1,051)
Filipino0.4%(467)
Asian Indian0.4%(462)
Korean0.3%(323)
Vietnamese0.2%(226)
Japanese0.1%(126)
Cambodian0.1%(89)
Bangladeshi0.1%(57)
Chinese0%(44)
Laotian0%(31)
Indonesian0.2%(30)
Hmong0%(15)
Ancestry
English13.9%(17,325)
American12.3%(15,313)
German9.2%(11,447)
Irish8.9%(11,026)
Italian3.1%(3,863)
Scottish2.2%(2,755)
French1.9%(2,354)
Polish1.5%(1,829)
Scotch-Irish1.2%(1,447)
Dutch0.6%(804)
Subsaharan African0.7%(791)
Norwegian0.6%(726)
+ 40 more ancestry groups with data
West Indian0.6%(706)
Swedish0.5%(646)
Welsh0.5%(587)
British0.3%(390)
Hungarian0.3%(372)
Greek0.3%(368)
French Canadian0.3%(356)
Jamaican0.3%(356)
Haitian0.3%(327)
Czech0.2%(265)
Ukrainian0.2%(258)
Finnish0.2%(249)
Russian0.2%(230)
Portuguese0.2%(229)
Turkish0.2%(226)
Swiss0.2%(204)
Danish0.2%(184)
Arab0.2%(180)
Canadian0.2%(173)
Croatian0.1%(152)
Slovak0.1%(127)
Lebanese0.1%(121)
Lithuanian0.1%(101)
Austrian0.1%(99)
Romanian0.1%(94)
Belgian0.1%(92)
Brazilian0.1%(63)
Kenyan0%(56)
Serbian0%(38)
Slovene0%(37)
Cape Verdean0%(37)
Australian0%(34)
Egyptian0%(32)
Moroccan0%(15)
Armenian0%(15)
Palestinian0%(12)
Nigerian0%(10)
Barbadian0%(7)
Latvian0%(5)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
91.9%
+11.5 ptssince 2000
from 80.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
69.9%
+3.7 ptssince 2020
from 66.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
92.7%
+3.6 ptssince 2020
from 89.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married31.8%(16,369)
Married53.4%(27,510)
Widowed3.4%(1,742)
Divorced11.4%(5,864)
Women 15+
Never married24.2%(12,523)
Married52.1%(26,968)
Widowed10.9%(5,659)
Divorced12.8%(6,650)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
17.1%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 16.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
5.4%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 4.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
68.4%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 67.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
45.6%
+3.8 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)32.6%(4,284)
Gulf War (1990s)34.8%(4,572)
Vietnam era28.4%(3,731)
Korean War3.9%(508)
World War II0.1%(17)
Share of the 13,133 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
Over time
New Bern, decade by decade
| Year | Population | Median household income | Median home value | Bachelor's degree+ | Diversity score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 102,399 | $58,898 | $149,739 | 14.1% | 54.3 |
| 2000 | 114,751 | $64,293 | $151,175 | 17.9% | 58.6 |
| 2010 | 126,802 | $62,837 | $208,393 | 20.0% | 61.3 |
| 2020 | 122,168 | $63,252 | $189,151 | 23.8% | 65.8 |
| 2024 | 124,304 | $64,793 | $222,544 | 26.7% | 65.6 |
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
In this metro
Largest cities
New BernCENTRAL34,724Havelock17,430James City4,789Trent Woods4,070Brices Creek3,415Fairfield Harbour2,948River Bend2,890Neuse Forest2,671Cherry Branch1,684Bayboro1,242Oriental909Vanceboro877Maysville853Alliance764Grantsboro728Minnesott Beach544Arapahoe432Cove City381Dover351Bridgeton345Pollocksville276Trenton251Stonewall209Vandemere197Mesic143Hobucken5
What's inside
3 component counties
Drill deeper
Metros similar to New Bern
Cleveland
Pop 134,057
Elizabethtown
Pop 128,666
Battle Creek
Pop 133,408
St. Simons
Pop 118,524
Places similar to New BernHead to head
Compare New Bern side by side
NEW BERN VS
Cleveland
Income$65,993+2%
Home value$249,132+12%
Population134,057+5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NEW BERN VS
Elizabethtown
Income$67,578+4%
Home value$220,770−1%
Population128,666+1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NEW BERN VS
Battle Creek
Income$63,177−2%
Home value$162,800−27%
Population133,408+5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NEW BERN VS
St. Simons
Income$66,040+2%
Home value$257,539+16%
Population118,524−7%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in New Bern, NC?
New Bern, NC has about 124,304 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in New Bern, NC?
The typical household in New Bern, NC earns about $64,793 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is New Bern, NC expensive?
In New Bern, NC, the median home is worth about $222,544, and the typical rent is about $1,047 a month.
How educated are people in New Bern, NC?
About 26.7% of adults age 25 and over in New Bern, NC hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in New Bern, NC?
About 14.2% of people in New Bern, NC live below the federal poverty line.
Has New Bern, NC grown since 1990?
Yes, New Bern, NC has grown since 1990. The population has added about 21,905 residents, a change of about 21 percent over that period.
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024