Chowan Beach, North Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 325, Chowan Beach'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

Chowan Beach is a small community located in North Carolina, within Chowan County. The total population is 325. It ranks as the 651st most populous out of 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Chowan Beach is 41.4 years. This is 6% higher than the state median of 39.1 years. Only 4.6% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 11.1% 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 Chowan Beach is $23,095. This is 68% lower than the state median of $72,388. It is also 71% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 67.7%. This is 419% 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 survey records no unemployed residents in Chowan Beach, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $92,800. Housing costs are 68% lower than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.0x. 62.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 6% lower than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Chowan Beach is White (non-Hispanic), making up 80.6% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 19.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (19.4% vs 11.3%).

Education

2.6% 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 93% 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 45.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Chowan Beach, 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.