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Craven County, North Carolina Demographics 2026

Craven County, North Carolina has a population of 101,074, the 28th most populous county in North Carolina. The median household income is $64,635 and the median home value is $206,200. The poverty rate is 13.9%.

Craven County Quick Facts

Population 101,074
Median Household Income $64,635
Median Home Value $206,200
Poverty Rate 13.9%
Unemployment Rate 4.5%
Median Age 39.2 years
Homeownership Rate 70.0%
Affordability Ratio 3.2x
Bachelor's Degree+ 26.0%
High School Graduation 91.8%
Cities/Places 13
Population 101,074 28th of 100
Median Income $64,635 8% lower than state
Poverty Rate 13.9%
Unemployment 4.5%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 17.2%
$25K-$50K 22.5%
$50K-$100K 30.1%
$100K+ 30.2%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
5.1%
$10K-$15K
4.0%
$15K-$20K
4.2%
$20K-$25K
3.8%
$25K-$30K
4.0%
$30K-$35K
5.5%
$35K-$40K
5.1%
$40K-$45K
4.3%
$45K-$50K
3.6%
$50K-$60K
7.7%
$60K-$75K
10.1%
$75K-$100K
12.4%
$100K-$125K
10.7%
$125K-$150K
7.1%
$150K-$200K
5.9%
$200K+
6.4%

Employment

4.5% Unemployment Rate State: 4.8%|National: 5.2%
58.9% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 70.0%
Renter 30.0%
Affordability Index Affordable
3.2x home value to income ratio

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

53out of 100
Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 58 | National average: 61

Education

Cities & Places in Craven County

CityPopulationMedian IncomePovertyHome Value
New Bern31,563$56,89316.3%$211,500
Havelock16,471$64,43313.5%$186,800
James City4,859$63,83510.2%$175,700
Trent Woods4,086$109,0971.2%$294,200
Brices Creek3,592$107,8003.4%$323,400
Fairfield Harbour2,898$69,6615.5%$278,800
River Bend2,896$68,3148.9%$233,700
Neuse Forest2,406$88,33310.1%$194,200
Cherry Branch1,406$111,9302.4%$278,800
Vanceboro939$39,12530.9%$137,500
Cove City583$50,8938.7%$78,800
Bridgeton561$35,83350.4%$139,600
Dover379$37,14333.3%$90,600

Population Overview

Craven County is located in North Carolina with a total population of 101,074. It is the 28th most populous county out of 100 in North Carolina. The county encompasses 13 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Craven County is 39.2 years. This is about the same as the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Craven County is $64,635. This is 8% lower than the state median of $69,904. It is also 18% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 13.9%. This is 6% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.2%. The unemployment rate is 4.5%. This is 6% lower than the state rate of 4.8%. The median home value is $206,200. Housing costs are 21% lower than the state median of $259,400. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.2x. 70.0% 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 Craven County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 64.7% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 20.1%.

Education

26.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 25% 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 91.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Craven 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Craven County, North Carolina?

Craven County has a population of 101,074, making it the 28th most populous county in North Carolina.

What is the median income in Craven County?

The median household income in Craven County is $64,635 with a poverty rate of 13.9%.

How many cities are in Craven County, North Carolina?

Craven County contains 13 Census-designated places.