Parmele, North Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 374, Parmele'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

Parmele is a small community located in North Carolina, within Martin County. The total population is 374. It ranks as the 640th most populous out of 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Parmele is 53.3 years. This is 36% higher than the state median of 39.1 years. Only 6.7% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Parmele is $36,136. This is 50% lower than the state median of $72,388. It is also 55% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 31.8%. This is 144% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 11.8%. This is 151% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $85,200. Housing costs are 71% lower than the state median of $288,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Parmele is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 63.0% 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 Parmele is Black or African American, making up 77.3% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 20.9%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (20.9%) is well below the state average of 60.0%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (77.3% vs 20.0%). The Asian population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 3.3%.

Education

5.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 84% 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 69.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Parmele, 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.