Riegelwood, North Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 649, Riegelwood'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

Riegelwood is a small community located in North Carolina, within Columbus County. The total population is 649. It ranks as the 542nd most populous out of 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Riegelwood is 63.3 years. This is 62% higher than the state median of 39.1 years. Only 11.6% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 12.5% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Riegelwood is $49,583. This is 32% lower than the state median of $72,388. It is also 39% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.3%. This is 14% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Riegelwood, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $200,300. Housing costs are 31% lower than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.0x. 88.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 33% higher than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Riegelwood is White (non-Hispanic), making up 77.3% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 20.6%.

Education

4.2% 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 88% 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 95.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Riegelwood, 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.