Hightsville, North Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 397, Hightsville'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

Hightsville is a small community located in North Carolina, within New Hanover County. The total population is 397. It ranks as the 629th most populous out of 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Hightsville is 42.4 years. This is 8% higher than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Hightsville is $31,402. This is 57% lower than the state median of $72,388. It is also 61% lower than the national median of $80,734. The ACS records no residents below the poverty line in Hightsville. In a community this small the estimate rests on very few survey responses, so it should be read as an absence of measurement rather than a measured absence of poverty. The survey records no unemployed residents in Hightsville, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $228,000. Housing costs are 21% lower than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio of 7.3x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 100.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 50% higher than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Hightsville is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 39.3%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (43.6% vs 20.0%).

Education

10.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 71% 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 75.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Hightsville, 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.