Gloucester, North Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 385, Gloucester'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

Gloucester is a small community located in North Carolina, within Carteret County. The total population is 385. It ranks as the 635th most populous out of 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Gloucester is 64.8 years. This is 66% higher than the state median of 39.1 years. Only 9.3% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 28.3% 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 Gloucester is $64,667. This is 11% lower than the state median of $72,388. It is also 20% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 3.6%. This is 72% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 8.7%. This is 84% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $353,800. Housing costs are 22% higher than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.5x. 100.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 50% higher than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Gloucester has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 92.2% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 0.8%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (92.2% vs 60.0%). The Hispanic or Latino population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 11.3%.

Education

25.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 29% 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 98.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Gloucester, 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.