Wayne County, North Carolina Demographics 2026

Name: Wayne County, North Carolina Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Wayne County, North Carolina has a population of 118,652, the 24th most populous county in North Carolina. The median household income is $59,733 and the median home value is $178,700. The poverty rate is 17.3%.

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

Wayne County Quick Facts

Population 118,652

Median Household Income $59,733

Median Home Value $178,700

Poverty Rate 17.3%

Unemployment Rate 5.2%

Median Age 37.3 years

Homeownership Rate 61.5%

Affordability Ratio 3.0x

Bachelor's Degree+ 21.7%

High School Graduation 86.4%

Cities/Places 12

Population 118,652 24th of 100

Median Income $59,733 17% lower than state

Poverty Rate 17.3%

Unemployment 5.2%

How Wayne 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	117,606	118,652	+0.9%
Median household income	$58,082	$59,733	+2.8%
Median home value	$162,700	$178,700	+9.8%

Median Household Income

Wayne

$59,733

$72,388

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Wayne

$178,700

$288,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 18.9%

$25K-$50K 23.3%

$50K-$100K 31.8%

$100K+ 26.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.0%

$10K-$15K

4.1%

$15K-$20K

4.4%

$20K-$25K

5.3%

$25K-$30K

4.9%

$30K-$35K

4.3%

$35K-$40K

4.4%

$40K-$45K

4.4%

$45K-$50K

5.3%

$50K-$60K

8.0%

$60K-$75K

9.4%

$75K-$100K

14.4%

$100K-$125K

8.3%

$125K-$150K

6.6%

$150K-$200K

5.9%

$200K+

5.2%

Employment

5.2% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

61.2% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 61.5%

Renter 38.5%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.0x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $965/mo 19.4% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

23.6%

18-34

23.4%

35-54

23.3%

55-74

22.9%

75+

6.7%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 58 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Wayne County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Goldsboro	34,383	$48,540	22.8%	$200,400
Mount Olive	4,453	$48,700	17.6%	$153,500
Elroy	3,251	$63,238	14.0%	$133,100
Mar-Mac	2,877	$53,819	11.8%	$149,200
Brogden	2,733	$42,074	31.1%	$96,400
Dudley	2,305	$42,050	35.3%	$90,000
New Hope	1,487	$58,667	8.6%	$162,800
Walnut Creek	1,422	$166,250	6.6%	$468,700
Fremont	943	$51,667	28.2%	$147,800
Pikeville	776	$62,396	15.2%	$140,800
Eureka	224	$66,250	8.9%	$122,900
Seven Springs	32	$118,036	0.0%	N/A

Explore North Carolina Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Wayne County is located in North Carolina with a total population of 118,652. It is the 24th most populous county out of 100 in North Carolina. The county encompasses 12 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Wayne County is 37.3 years. This is 5% lower than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Wayne County is $59,733. This is 17% lower than the state median of $72,388. It is also 26% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 17.3%. This is 33% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. The unemployment rate is 5.2%. This is 10% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $178,700. Housing costs are 38% lower than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.0x. 61.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 8% lower than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Wayne County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 50.2% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 29.6%. The Asian population (1.2%) is well below the state average of 3.3%.

Education

21.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 39% 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 86.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Wayne 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 Wayne County, North Carolina?

Wayne County has a population of 118,652, making it the 24th most populous county in North Carolina.

What is the median income in Wayne County?

The median household income in Wayne County is $59,733 with a poverty rate of 17.3%.

How many cities are in Wayne County, North Carolina?

Wayne County contains 12 Census-designated places.