Population 1,291 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Harbinger
Household size in Harbinger
| Period | Harbinger | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.29 | 2.64 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.63 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.35 | 2.61 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.23 | 2.54 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | −0.10 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Harbinger is a place of small households, averaging 2.23 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children.
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 Harbinger
| Period | Harbinger | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.4 | 37.0 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.3 | 37.6 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 48.1 | 38.6 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 49.7 | 39.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +6.3 | +2.2 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
Harbinger skews older: half of its residents are older than 49.7, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 43.4 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Harbinger
| Period | Harbinger | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.8% | 13.7% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 13.6% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.1% | 12.9% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.1% | 12.9% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | −0.7 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Harbinger: 15.1% of all households, against 11.6% nationally.
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 Harbinger
Renters in Harbinger
| Period | Harbinger | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.3% | 35.1% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.4% | 37.6% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.8% | 38.4% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 10.9% | 36.6% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −17.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 10.9% of households in Harbinger rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 38.3% have no mortgage at all, about the same as 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 Harbinger
| Period | Harbinger | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.7% | 9.1% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.5% | 9.7% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.6% | 9.5% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.5% | 7.6% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 16.5% of the housing in Harbinger, 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.
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 Harbinger
| Period | Harbinger | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1990 | 1977 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1993 | 1979 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1993 | 1980 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1991 | 1982 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +5 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Harbinger is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1991, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole.
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 Harbinger
| Period | Harbinger | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $932 | $1,107 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $990 | $1,232 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,106 | $1,358 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,192 | $1,647 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$260 | +$540 | +$528 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Harbinger costs $1,192 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 27.2% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Harbinger
Bachelor's degrees in Harbinger
| Period | Harbinger | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.8% | 27.5% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.6% | 28.9% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.5% | 32.0% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 35.0% | 35.4% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +16.3 pts | +7.9 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Harbinger as nationally: 35.0% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%.
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 Harbinger
| Period | Harbinger | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.9% | 88.9% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.4% | 90.0% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.6% | 91.5% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.4% | 92.8% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +10.6 pts | +3.9 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Harbinger is above the national rate: 93.4% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The Virginia Beach area as a whole looks much the same.
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 Harbinger
| Period | Harbinger | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 6.5% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 8.2% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.3% | 5.6% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 0.7% | 4.9% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −9.7 pts | −1.6 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Harbinger has been strong: just 0.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. 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).
Harbinger 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harbinger | 2.23 | 49.7 | 15.1% | 10.9% | 16.5% | 1991 | $1,192 | 35.0% | 93.4% | 0.7% |
| Powells Point | 2.72 | 41.5 | 6.1% | 23.5% | 11.0% | 1996 | $1,383 | 30.2% | 98.5% | 4.6% |
| Southern Shores | 2.33 | 59.2 | 1.3% | 7.6% | 45.2% | 1992 | $1,298 | 63.1% | 99.0% | 6.8% |
| Kitty Hawk | 2.33 | 50.3 | 2.2% | 25.1% | 41.2% | 1991 | $1,314 | 47.5% | 96.0% | 7.5% |
| Jarvisburg | 2.37 | 47.4 | 7.9% | 15.8% | 11.7% | 1996 | $1,233 | 28.6% | 93.8% | 2.2% |
| Duck | 2.13 | 62.4 | 1.3% | 6.4% | 83.0% | 1988 | $1,500 | 59.2% | 98.9% | 29.2% |
| Kill Devil Hills | 2.25 | 47.0 | 11.3% | 25.7% | 33.5% | 1990 | $1,710 | 43.4% | 94.5% | 7.6% |
| Grandy | 2.06 | 50.4 | 10.1% | 21.7% | 14.3% | 1992 | $1,117 | 21.0% | 84.3% | 0.9% |
| Poplar Branch | 2.09 | 53.7 | 9.4% | 13.9% | 11.3% | 1986 | $1,066 | 33.1% | 89.2% | 0.0% |
| Shiloh | 2.34 | 45.6 | 6.5% | 8.9% | 10.7% | 2001 | $1,563 | 23.0% | 92.7% | 3.0% |
| Riddle | 2.53 | 40.5 | 4.9% | 10.4% | 12.6% | 2002 | $1,751 | 24.6% | 93.7% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Spurger, TX · Dexter, KY · Dickerson, MD · Drakes Branch, VA · Dublin, NH · East Hartland, CT · Elysian, MN · Empire City, OK · Fairfax, OK · Fairplay, MD
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 Harbinger. 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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