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Silver Lake, North Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

During the 2020–2024 ACS period, Silver Lake, North Carolina had a total population of 6,563, the 139th largest community in North Carolina, with a median household income of $76,756, which is 6% higher than the state average. The poverty rate is 9.7%.

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

Silver Lake Quick Facts

Population 6,563
Median Household Income $76,756
Median Home Value $325,500
Poverty Rate 9.7%
Unemployment Rate 5.3%
Median Age 42.9 years
Homeownership Rate 82.2%
Affordability Ratio 4.2x
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 32.2%
High School Graduation Rate 89.7%
Diversity Index 45/100
Population 6,563 139th of 772
Median Income $76,756 top 30%
Poverty Rate 9.7% 22% lower than national
Median Home Value $325,500 top 30%

How Silver Lake Changed

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

Metric2019–20232020–2024Change
Population6,2426,563+5.1%
Median household income$73,277$76,756+4.7%
Median home value$287,500$325,500+13.2%

How Silver Lake Compares

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 9.5%
$25K-$50K 23.9%
$50K-$100K 27.1%
$100K+ 39.5%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
4.5%
$10K-$15K
2.4%
$15K-$20K
1.1%
$20K-$25K
1.5%
$25K-$30K
7.9%
$30K-$35K
1.8%
$35K-$40K
9.2%
$40K-$45K
0.7%
$45K-$50K
4.4%
$50K-$60K
8.5%
$60K-$75K
4.9%
$75K-$100K
13.7%
$100K-$125K
7.0%
$125K-$150K
4.7%
$150K-$200K
20.3%
$200K+
7.3%

Employment

5.3% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%
66.2% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 82.2%
Renter 17.8%
Affordability Index Moderate
4.2x home value to income ratio
Median gross rent $1,416/mo 22.1% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

45out of 100
Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 58 | National average: 61

Education

Silver Lake Rankings in North Carolina

#139 Population of 772
#209 Median Income of 716
#217 Education of 772
#178 Home Value of 725

Other Cities in New Hanover County

CityPopulationMedian IncomePovertyHome Value
Wilmington 120,805 $66,738 16.0% $383,800
Murraysville 16,339 $81,167 4.5% $320,700
Myrtle Grove 12,637 $113,463 6.2% $439,100
Kings Grant 9,003 $62,232 14.7% $300,700
Ogden 8,249 $121,338 4.8% $463,700
Porters Neck 7,654 $119,979 3.8% $569,700
Carolina Beach 6,745 $94,398 6.0% $566,200
Wrightsboro 6,287 $78,450 10.7% $255,700
Northchase 5,896 $59,375 22.3% $318,400
Skippers Corner 3,792 $72,297 28.3% $247,500

Cities Similar to Silver Lake

These cities in the same state have comparable population and economic profiles.

CityPopulationMedian IncomeHome ValueBachelor's+Poverty
Wrightsboro6,287$78,450$255,70025.9%10.7%
Cherryville6,226$70,625$232,10024.8%12.4%
Swannanoa6,901$69,760$287,50027.4%16.8%
Trinity7,111$82,664$216,60020.1%11.7%
Locust5,840$76,504$322,10022.5%8.7%

Population Overview

Silver Lake is a small city located in North Carolina, within New Hanover County. The total population is 6,563. It ranks as the 139th most populous out of 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Silver Lake is 42.9 years. This is 10% higher than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Silver Lake is $76,756. This is 6% higher than the state median of $72,388. It is also 5% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 9.7%. This is 26% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. The unemployment rate is 5.3%. This is 13% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $325,500. Housing costs are 13% higher than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.2x. 82.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 23% higher than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Silver Lake is White (non-Hispanic), making up 70.8% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 20.6%. The Black or African American population (3.4%) is well below the state average of 20.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (20.6% vs 11.3%).

Education

32.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 10% 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 89.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Silver Lake, 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.

Free data download: Get all North Carolina city and county demographics as CSV. Download Cities CSV | Download Counties CSV

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Silver Lake, North Carolina?

Silver Lake, North Carolina has a population of 6,563 according to the most recent U.S. Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What is the median household income in Silver Lake, NC?

The median household income in Silver Lake is $76,756, which is 5% lower than the national median of $80,734.

What is the poverty rate in Silver Lake, NC?

The poverty rate in Silver Lake is 9.7%. This means approximately 636 residents live below the federal poverty line.

What is the racial makeup of Silver Lake, North Carolina?

Silver Lake's population is 70.8% White, 3.4% Black, 20.6% Hispanic/Latino, and 0.0% Asian.

What is the median home value in Silver Lake, NC?

The median home value in Silver Lake is $325,500. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.2x.

How educated is Silver Lake, North Carolina?

32.2% of adults (25+) in Silver Lake hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and 14.4% hold a graduate or professional degree.