Barker Heights, North Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Barker Heights is a small community located in North Carolina, within Henderson County. The total population is 1,074. It ranks as the 442nd most populous out of 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Barker Heights is 47.3 years. This is 21% higher than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Barker Heights is $29,277. This is 60% lower than the state median of $72,388. It is also 64% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 49.7%. This is 282% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 3.3%. This is 30% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $190,300. Housing costs are 34% lower than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio of 6.5x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 40.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 39% lower than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Barker Heights is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 32.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (43.6% vs 11.3%). The Asian population (1.0%) is well below the state average of 3.3%.

Education

3.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 92% lower than the state rate of 35.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 57.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Barker Heights, North Carolina is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against North Carolina state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.