Carolina Meadows, North Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 555, Carolina Meadows's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Carolina Meadows is a small community located in North Carolina, within Chatham County. The total population is 555. It ranks as the 568th most populous out of 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Carolina Meadows is 84.4 years. This is 116% higher than the state median of 39.1 years. 88.1% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Carolina Meadows is $126,007. This is 74% higher than the state median of $72,388. It is also 56% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 1.8%. This is 86% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Carolina Meadows, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $443,800. Housing costs are 54% higher than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.5x. 55.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 17% lower than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Carolina Meadows has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 92.8% of all residents. Asian residents account for 5.4%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (92.8% vs 60.0%). The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (5.4% vs 3.3%).

Education

72.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Carolina Meadows in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 103% higher than the state rate of 35.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample. Notably, 45.1% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Carolina Meadows, 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.