Pender County, North Carolina Demographics 2026
Pender County, North Carolina has a population of 65,550, the 42nd most populous county in North Carolina. The median household income is $80,396 and the median home value is $299,000. The poverty rate is 9.7%.
Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes
Pender County Quick Facts
How Pender 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 | 63,475 | 65,550 | +3.3% |
| Median household income | $76,838 | $80,396 | +4.6% |
| Median home value | $267,100 | $299,000 | +11.9% |
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Diversity Index
Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.
State average: 58 | National average: 61
Education
Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)
Cities & Places in Pender County
| City | Population | Median Income | Poverty | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hampstead | 9,292 | $91,745 | 9.5% | $402,100 |
| Burgaw | 3,850 | $67,853 | 19.7% | $242,200 |
| Wallace | 3,457 | $51,250 | 30.4% | $178,000 |
| Rocky Point | 1,020 | $69,514 | 19.8% | $163,500 |
| St. Helena | 544 | $75,313 | 20.6% | $215,600 |
| Atkinson | 485 | $59,886 | 13.6% | $155,100 |
| Topsail Beach | 406 | $93,250 | 7.6% | $691,200 |
| Watha | 271 | $48,125 | 16.6% | $143,300 |
| Long Creek | 206 | N/A | 23.3% | N/A |
Explore North Carolina Rankings
Population Overview
Pender County is located in North Carolina with a total population of 65,550. It is the 42nd most populous county out of 100 in North Carolina. The county encompasses 9 Census-designated places.
Age Demographics
The median age in Pender County is 41.6 years. This is 6% higher than the state median of 39.1 years.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in Pender County is $80,396. This is 11% higher than the state median of $72,388. It is also about the same as the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 9.7%. This is 25% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. The unemployment rate is 4.8%. This is 2% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $299,000. Housing costs are 3% higher than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.7x. 82.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 24% higher than the state average of 66.6%.
Race & Ethnicity
The largest racial or ethnic group in Pender County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 74.0% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 12.1%. The Asian population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 3.3%.
Education
30.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 14% 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 90.8%.
Data Sources & Methodology
All figures for Pender 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 Pender County, North Carolina?
Pender County has a population of 65,550, making it the 42nd most populous county in North Carolina.
What is the median income in Pender County?
The median household income in Pender County is $80,396 with a poverty rate of 9.7%.
How many cities are in Pender County, North Carolina?
Pender County contains 9 Census-designated places.