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MICROPOLITAN AREA · 2020 ACS

Roanoke Rapids Micro

Roanoke Rapids, NC · 2 counties · 66,093 residents · 1,260 sq mi
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The short version

Roanoke Rapids is home to 66,093 people. At a median age of 47.7, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. Median home value sits at $85,218. 24.2% of people across the metro live below the federal poverty line. 2% of people across the metro were born outside the United States.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 47.7
US median: 38.8
Less educated
15% 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

66,093
−17%since 2000
from 79,456 in 2000
1990 – 2025
52 / sq mi
−17%since 2000
from 63 / sq mi in 2000
47.7
+26%since 2000
from 38.0 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
1,260 sq mi
Population, 19902024
63K68K72K76K81K19902000201020202024Roanoke Rapids
202465K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 54.9%(3,263)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.1%(3,377)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 145.7%(3,784)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 195.6%(3,699)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244.6%(3,042)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3410.5%(6,960)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4410.5%(6,965)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5412.3%(8,149)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6416.9%(11,164)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7414.2%(9,356)
US avg: 10%
75 to 846.9%(4,572)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.7%(1,762)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$36,714
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,513 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$22,442
+57%since 2000
from $14,256 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
20.5%
+5.9 ptssince 2009
from 14.6% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
24.2%
+1.0 ptssince 2000
from 23.2% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade18.5%
US avg: 10%
Information12.1%
US avg: 11.1%
Finance & insurance6.4%
US avg: 5.5%
Wholesale trade6.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical4.8%
US avg: 4.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3.2%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction3.2%
US avg: 1.2%
Other services2.3%
US avg: 6.6%
Transportation & warehousing2.3%
US avg: 2.5%
Public administration1.8%
US avg: 4.7%
Education & health services1.6%
US avg: 0.8%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
US avg: 2%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$85,218
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $58,465 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$712
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $395 in 2000
US average: $1,124
65.8%
−4.0 ptssince 2000
from 69.8% in 2000
34.2% rent
2.32 people
−7%since 2009
from 2.50 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
2.3
−15%since 2009
from 2.7 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-Hispanic41.4%(32,872)
Black54.3%(43,114)
Hispanic / Latino0.9%(740)
Asian0.4%(330)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic39.2%(25,905)
Black52%(34,386)
Hispanic / Latino2.7%(1,807)
Asian0.5%(308)
Other5.4%(3,582)
34
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
Mexican1.4%(1,024)
Salvadoran0.5%(317)
Puerto Rican0.3%(194)
Guatemalan0.2%(173)
Dominican0.1%(73)
Cuban0%(25)
Asian origin
Vietnamese0.2%(154)
Filipino0.2%(135)
Asian Indian0.2%(86)
Chinese0%(22)
Japanese0%(14)
Hmong0%(7)
Thai0%(6)
Korean0%(2)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(14)
Ancestry
American20.4%(14,366)
English5.4%(3,771)
Irish3.8%(2,705)
German2.8%(1,986)
Scotch-Irish0.8%(575)
Scottish0.8%(557)
French0.5%(364)
Dutch0.4%(273)
Italian0.4%(263)
Portuguese0.4%(244)
Polish0.3%(217)
+ 31 more ancestry groups with data
British0.2%(167)
West Indian0.2%(131)
Welsh0.2%(118)
Swedish0.1%(92)
Russian0.1%(86)
Swiss0.1%(75)
Norwegian0.1%(67)
Nigerian0.1%(49)
Greek0.1%(30)
Czech0.1%(29)
Syrian0.1%(28)
Jamaican0%(20)
Hungarian0%(16)
Ukrainian0%(14)
Arab0%(13)
Ethiopian0%(12)
Moroccan0.1%(11)
Belgian0%(9)
Haitian0%(9)
Serbian0%(8)
Slovak0%(5)
Israeli0%(4)
Section 05

Education

14.8%
+3.8 ptssince 2000
from 11.0% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
79.6%
+15.1 ptssince 2000
from 64.6% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
4.8%
+1.9 ptssince 2000
from 2.9% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

25.0 min
+47%since 2000
from 16.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
82.9%
−2.8 ptssince 2009
from 85.6% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
10.1%
−2.5 ptssince 2009
from 12.6% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

6.9%
−8.2 ptssince 2011
from 15.1% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
48.6%
−5.1 ptssince 2011
from 53.7% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
60.1%
US average: 73.3%
26.3%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 25.8% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

48.4%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 47.6% in 2009
51.6%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 52.4% in 2009
1.8%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
12.5%
−3.4 ptssince 2013
from 15.9% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
79.5%
US average: 91.9%
91.4%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married39.5%(10,201)
Married45.1%(11,655)
Widowed4.8%(1,230)
Divorced10.6%(2,737)
Women 15+
Never married32.5%(9,116)
Married42.1%(11,819)
Widowed14%(3,931)
Divorced11.3%(3,180)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

12.5%
−3.4 ptssince 2013
from 15.9% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
40.8%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
14.3%
US average: 13.7%
26.1%
US average: 17.6%
26.9%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
2.7%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
54.2%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
47.3%
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)16%(591)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)18.9%(699)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era39.5%(1,462)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War8.4%(312)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II2.2%(83)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 3,700 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.

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Frequently asked

How many people live in Roanoke Rapids, NC?

Roanoke Rapids, NC has about 66,093 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Roanoke Rapids, NC?

The typical household in Roanoke Rapids, NC earns about $36,714 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Roanoke Rapids, NC expensive?

In Roanoke Rapids, NC, the median home is worth about $85,218, and the typical rent is about $712 a month.

How educated are people in Roanoke Rapids, NC?

About 14.8% of adults age 25 and over in Roanoke Rapids, NC hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Roanoke Rapids, NC?

About 24.2% of people in Roanoke Rapids, NC live below the federal poverty line.

Has Roanoke Rapids, NC grown since 1990?

Yes, Roanoke Rapids, NC has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 10,221 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 →