Northwest, North Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 885, Northwest'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

Northwest is a small community located in North Carolina, within Brunswick County. The total population is 885. It ranks as the 489th most populous out of 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Northwest is 51.5 years. This is 32% higher than the state median of 39.1 years. Only 13.5% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Northwest is $53,214. This is 26% lower than the state median of $72,388. It is also 34% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 19.1%. This is 47% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. The unemployment rate is 10.3%. This is 119% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $225,900. Housing costs are 22% lower than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.2x. 89.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 34% higher than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Northwest is Black or African American, making up 54.8% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 35.4%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (54.8% vs 20.0%). The Hispanic or Latino population (5.0%) is well below the state average of 11.3%. The Asian population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 3.3%.

Education

25.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 28% 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 92.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Northwest, 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.