Population 36,715 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Elizabeth City
Household size in Elizabeth City
| Period | Elizabeth City | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.62 | 2.64 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.62 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.55 | 2.61 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.52 | 2.54 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.10 | −0.10 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Elizabeth City run a little small, averaging 2.52 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has dropped from 2.62 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northwest.
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 Elizabeth City
| Period | Elizabeth City | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.1 | 37.0 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.9 | 37.6 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.1 | 38.6 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.3 | 39.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.1 | +2.2 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
At 40.3, the median age in Elizabeth City is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 36.1, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the north and oldest in the southwest.
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 Elizabeth City
| Period | Elizabeth City | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.5% | 13.7% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.3% | 13.6% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.7% | 12.9% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.0% | 12.9% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | −0.7 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in seven households in Elizabeth City (14.0%), above the national share of 11.6%. Elizabeth City has a higher share of single-parent households than most North Carolina cities.
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 Elizabeth City
Renters in Elizabeth City
| Period | Elizabeth City | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.1% | 35.1% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 38.8% | 37.6% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 42.6% | 38.4% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.9% | 36.6% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Elizabeth City is about as common as it is nationally: 34.9% of households rent, against 34.8%. Just over four in ten owners (41.7%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the northwest. The renter share has edged down 1.3 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Elizabeth City
| Period | Elizabeth City | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.6% | 9.1% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.8% | 9.7% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.7% | 9.5% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.8% | 7.6% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs a little high in Elizabeth City: 11.8% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones.
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 Elizabeth City
| Period | Elizabeth City | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1977 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1979 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1980 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1986 | 1982 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +5 | +7 | +6 |
The housing in Elizabeth City is a little younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1986, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1980 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the east.
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 Elizabeth City
| Period | Elizabeth City | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $797 | $1,107 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $891 | $1,232 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,001 | $1,358 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,322 | $1,647 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$526 | +$540 | +$528 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Elizabeth City costs $1,322 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $526 a month from 2006–10, a 66% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 29.4% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the northwest 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 Elizabeth City
Bachelor's degrees in Elizabeth City
| Period | Elizabeth City | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.7% | 27.5% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.7% | 28.9% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.9% | 32.0% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 29.3% | 35.4% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.5 pts | +7.9 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Elizabeth City than nationally: 29.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 9.5 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the center.
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 Elizabeth City
| Period | Elizabeth City | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.4% | 88.9% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.4% | 90.0% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.9% | 91.5% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.8% | 92.8% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.4 pts | +3.9 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Elizabeth City have finished high school as nationally: 89.8%, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the wider Virginia Beach area (92.8%). Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 7.4 points, as it has nationally.
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 Elizabeth City
| Period | Elizabeth City | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.2% | 6.5% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.0% | 8.2% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.9% | 5.6% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 4.9% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.0 pts | −1.6 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Elizabeth City is close to the national rate: 5.2% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 6.0 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Elizabeth City compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth City | 2.52 | 40.3 | 14.0% | 34.9% | 11.8% | 1986 | $1,322 | 29.3% | 89.8% | 5.2% |
| Nixonton | 2.18 | 49.4 | 29.7% | 21.3% | 7.4% | 1986 | $1,405 | 31.7% | 91.2% | 13.7% |
| Camden | 2.45 | 40.4 | 15.5% | 26.8% | 6.5% | 1997 | $1,284 | 32.2% | 93.0% | 6.3% |
| Chapanoke | 2.70 | 40.2 | 8.9% | 6.5% | 10.3% | 1997 | $1,171 | 20.7% | 90.1% | 9.5% |
| New Hope | 2.16 | 56.5 | 17.5% | 20.9% | 8.3% | 1991 | $1,221 | 19.8% | 73.2% | 2.3% |
| Parkville | 2.65 | 43.2 | 9.6% | 23.2% | 30.1% | 1981 | $980 | 23.4% | 92.8% | 4.0% |
| Weeksville | 2.56 | 46.7 | 8.1% | 9.2% | 6.5% | 1991 | $1,315 | 25.3% | 90.0% | 5.8% |
| Riddle | 2.53 | 40.5 | 4.9% | 10.4% | 12.6% | 2002 | $1,751 | 24.6% | 93.7% | 3.0% |
| Durants Neck | 2.64 | 42.3 | 6.3% | 8.5% | 7.1% | 1999 | $1,078 | 21.2% | 87.3% | 8.2% |
| Shawboro | 3.10 | 37.5 | 6.4% | 21.5% | 9.7% | 2001 | $1,567 | 29.8% | 91.5% | 5.3% |
| Shiloh | 2.34 | 45.6 | 6.5% | 8.9% | 10.7% | 2001 | $1,563 | 23.0% | 92.7% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Burien, WA · Alamogordo, NM · El Mirage, AZ · Natick, MA · Pleasant Grove, UT · Patillas, PR · Paragould, AR · Okeechobee, FL · Odenton, MD · Oakville, MO
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 Elizabeth City. 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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