Population 44,499 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Beaufort County
Household size in Beaufort County
| Period | Beaufort County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.34 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.50 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.40 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.28 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.06 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Beaufort County are small: just 2.28 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has edged down from 2.34 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Beaufort County
| Period | Beaufort County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.9 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.8 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.9 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.1 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.3 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
Beaufort County skews older: half of its residents are older than 47.1, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 43.9, in line with the national trend.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Beaufort County
| Period | Beaufort County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.6% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.8% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.9% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Beaufort County as they are nationally: 11.9%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 1.0 points, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Beaufort County
Renters in Beaufort County
| Period | Beaufort County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.6% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 29.8% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.1% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 30.5% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
About three in ten households in Beaufort County rent their homes (30.5%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 53.9% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the northwest and least common in the south. The renter share has risen 3.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Beaufort County
| Period | Beaufort County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.7% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.7% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 22.2% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.7% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Beaufort County: 17.7% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy has risen 1.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Beaufort County
| Period | Beaufort County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1979 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1980 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +0 | +7 | +6 |
Homes in Beaufort County are the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1980. Homes here are older than in North Carolina as a whole, where the median home dates to 1990. Newer construction is concentrated in the south, while the east has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Beaufort County
| Period | Beaufort County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $644 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $648 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $806 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $928 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$284 | +$528 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Beaufort County costs $928 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $284 a month from 2006–10, a 44% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 29.3% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the east and lowest in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Beaufort County
Bachelor's degrees in Beaufort County
| Period | Beaufort County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.7% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.7% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.4% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.5% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Beaufort County: 20.5% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 0.8 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Beaufort County
| Period | Beaufort County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 80.9% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 81.1% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.3% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.6% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.7 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Beaufort County have finished high school as nationally: 88.6%, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in North Carolina as a whole (90.2%). The share with a diploma is up 7.7 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Beaufort County
| Period | Beaufort County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.0% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.1% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.9% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −7.1 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Beaufort County than nationally: unemployment was 3.9%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 7.1 points, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Beaufort County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaufort County | 2.28 | 47.1 | 11.9% | 30.5% | 17.7% | 1980 | $928 | 20.5% | 88.6% | 3.9% |
| Pitt County | 2.38 | 36.3 | 14.6% | 48.6% | 9.9% | 1992 | $1,091 | 34.7% | 91.5% | 8.1% |
| Greene County | 2.67 | 40.8 | 15.4% | 33.5% | 14.4% | 1986 | $823 | 12.1% | 78.9% | 5.0% |
| Hyde County | 1.91 | 47.1 | 11.8% | 28.1% | 29.6% | 1984 | $1,178 | 14.6% | 87.9% | 4.2% |
| Johnston County | 2.79 | 38.0 | 10.4% | 23.9% | 6.9% | 2000 | $1,394 | 29.8% | 91.1% | 3.7% |
| Lee County | 2.63 | 39.3 | 16.2% | 32.7% | 8.6% | 1987 | $1,065 | 20.3% | 85.3% | 3.8% |
| Rowan County | 2.52 | 41.4 | 12.7% | 27.7% | 9.9% | 1981 | $1,054 | 23.0% | 89.0% | 5.2% |
| Iredell County | 2.62 | 40.9 | 10.5% | 28.1% | 9.3% | 1994 | $1,373 | 35.2% | 91.8% | 4.2% |
| Lincoln County | 2.56 | 44.8 | 10.2% | 21.1% | 7.4% | 1993 | $1,145 | 29.3% | 90.0% | 3.6% |
| Catawba County | 2.48 | 41.6 | 12.8% | 27.8% | 9.8% | 1984 | $1,007 | 25.9% | 88.0% | 3.7% |
| McDowell County | 2.38 | 44.8 | 10.8% | 24.4% | 14.5% | 1983 | $823 | 17.4% | 85.4% | 3.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Worcester County, MD · Columbia County, OR · Harrisonburg City, VA · Douglas County, NV · Perry County, OH · Pasquotank County, NC · Dare County, NC · Delaware County, OK · Ogle County, IL · Nye County, NV
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Beaufort County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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