Chowan County, North Carolina Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Chowan County is located in North Carolina with a total population of 13,814. It is the 89th most populous county out of 100 in North Carolina. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Chowan County is 47.9 years. This is 23% higher than the state median of 39.1 years. 10.4% 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 County is $56,982. This is 18% lower than the state median of $69,904. It is also 27% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 20.5%. This is 56% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.2%. 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 5.9%. This is 23% higher than the state rate of 4.8%. The median home value is $204,400. Housing costs are 21% lower than the state median of $259,400. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.6x. 69.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 5% higher than the state average of 66.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Chowan County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 60.0% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 32.9%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (32.9% vs 20.3%). The Hispanic or Latino population (3.9%) is well below the state average of 10.9%. The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 3.1%.

Education

24.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 29% lower than the state rate of 34.7%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 87.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Chowan County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), with comparisons drawn against North Carolina and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.