Nash County, North Carolina Demographics 2026

Name: Nash County, North Carolina Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Nash County, North Carolina has a population of 96,216, the 30th most populous county in North Carolina. The median household income is $62,426 and the median home value is $191,000. The poverty rate is 11.8%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Nash County Quick Facts

Population 96,216

Median Household Income $62,426

Median Home Value $191,000

Poverty Rate 11.8%

Unemployment Rate 5.0%

Median Age 41.5 years

Homeownership Rate 63.6%

Affordability Ratio 3.1x

Bachelor's Degree+ 22.1%

High School Graduation 87.1%

Cities/Places 12

Population 96,216 30th of 100

Median Income $62,426 14% lower than state

Poverty Rate 11.8%

Unemployment 5.0%

How Nash County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	95,451	96,216	+0.8%
Median household income	$60,704	$62,426	+2.8%
Median home value	$171,100	$191,000	+11.6%

Median Household Income

Nash

$62,426

$72,388

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Nash

$191,000

$288,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 17.2%

$25K-$50K 20.4%

$50K-$100K 34.4%

$100K+ 28.0%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.0%

$10K-$15K

4.2%

$15K-$20K

4.3%

$20K-$25K

3.8%

$25K-$30K

4.3%

$30K-$35K

3.5%

$35K-$40K

3.7%

$40K-$45K

4.1%

$45K-$50K

4.8%

$50K-$60K

9.1%

$60K-$75K

11.2%

$75K-$100K

14.1%

$100K-$125K

10.2%

$125K-$150K

4.9%

$150K-$200K

7.2%

$200K+

5.7%

Employment

5.0% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

59.5% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 63.6%

Renter 36.4%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.1x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $953/mo 18.3% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

22.0%

18-34

20.3%

35-54

24.3%

55-74

25.9%

75+

7.4%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 58 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Nash County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Rocky Mount	54,297	$55,534	19.7%	$165,700
Nashville	5,729	$61,000	16.9%	$205,300
Red Oak	3,405	$90,214	2.2%	$271,800
Sharpsburg	1,605	$54,709	19.3%	$121,900
Spring Hope	1,387	$38,393	11.1%	$161,000
Elm City	1,292	$36,150	33.7%	$109,300
Dortches	1,158	$74,500	9.4%	$247,600
Middlesex	867	$48,281	12.7%	$216,900
Whitakers	494	$48,869	10.5%	$148,300
Bailey	422	$60,208	17.8%	$155,700
Momeyer	398	$65,278	30.4%	$98,800
Castalia	247	$45,625	25.1%	$52,500

Explore North Carolina Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Nash County is located in North Carolina with a total population of 96,216. It is the 30th most populous county out of 100 in North Carolina. The county encompasses 12 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Nash County is 41.5 years. This is 6% higher than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Nash County is $62,426. This is 14% lower than the state median of $72,388. It is also 23% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.8%. This is 9% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. The unemployment rate is 5.0%. This is 5% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $191,000. Housing costs are 34% lower than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.1x. 63.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 5% lower than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Nash County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 46.3% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 40.1%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (40.1% vs 20.0%). The Asian population (1.0%) is well below the state average of 3.3%.

Education

22.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 38% 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 87.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Nash County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, 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 Nash County, North Carolina?

Nash County has a population of 96,216, making it the 30th most populous county in North Carolina.

What is the median income in Nash County?

The median household income in Nash County is $62,426 with a poverty rate of 11.8%.

How many cities are in Nash County, North Carolina?

Nash County contains 12 Census-designated places.