Population 65,550 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Pender County
Household size in Pender County
| Period | Pender County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.41 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.64 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.72 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.59 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.18 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.59 people per household, Pender County sits close to the national average of 2.65. Household size has climbed from 2.41 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the south.
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 Pender County
| Period | Pender County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.9 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.7 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.9 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.9 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.0 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
Pender County skews a little older than the country: its median age is 41.9, against 40.1 nationally. Residents skew youngest in the east and oldest in the north.
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 Pender County
| Period | Pender County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.8% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.8% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.5% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.3% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Pender County than nationally: 9.3%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 3.5 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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 Pender County
Renters in Pender County
| Period | Pender County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.4% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.5% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.8% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 17.3% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 17.3% of households in Pender County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Nearly four in ten owners (37.3%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. The renter share is down 2.1 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose. Few North Carolina counties have a lower share of renters: only five of 100.
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 Pender County
| Period | Pender County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.9% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.5% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 17.5% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.4% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 14.4% of the housing in Pender County, 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 is down 2.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Pender County
| Period | Pender County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1988 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1992 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1993 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1999 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +11 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Pender County is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1999, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1988 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the northwest has the oldest housing. Only four of North Carolina's 100 counties have newer homes.
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 Pender County
| Period | Pender County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $772 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $864 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $998 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,457 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$685 | +$528 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Pender County costs $1,457 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are higher than in North Carolina overall ($1,317). Rents are up $685 a month from 2006–10, an 89% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 31.4% of household income on rent, just over 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 Pender County
Bachelor's degrees in Pender County
| Period | Pender County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.5% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.4% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.8% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 31.8% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.3 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Nearly a third of adults 25 and older in Pender County (31.8%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a little below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 12.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the west.
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 Pender County
| Period | Pender County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.1% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.2% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.4% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.0% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.9 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Pender County have finished high school (91.0%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of North Carolina. The share with a diploma is up 5.9 points from 2006–10, 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 Pender County
| Period | Pender County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.0% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.5% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.1% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Pender County runs below the national rate: 4.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.5 points, mirroring the country. 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).
Pender 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pender County | 2.59 | 41.9 | 9.3% | 17.3% | 14.4% | 1999 | $1,457 | 31.8% | 91.0% | 4.5% |
| Dillon County | 2.61 | 39.6 | 20.2% | 35.3% | 16.2% | 1984 | $714 | 13.9% | 81.5% | 9.2% |
| Darlington County | 2.43 | 41.5 | 15.9% | 29.1% | 13.8% | 1983 | $946 | 20.4% | 87.2% | 6.3% |
| Fairfield County | 2.24 | 48.0 | 12.6% | 25.4% | 16.7% | 1985 | $1,092 | 15.3% | 85.1% | 6.7% |
| Laurens County | 2.51 | 41.9 | 12.8% | 28.5% | 15.1% | 1984 | $877 | 17.8% | 83.6% | 4.3% |
| Anderson County | 2.52 | 41.0 | 11.7% | 25.2% | 9.6% | 1987 | $1,073 | 27.4% | 88.3% | 5.4% |
| Hart County | 2.45 | 43.8 | 10.1% | 22.2% | 15.4% | 1987 | $918 | 20.6% | 85.3% | 3.6% |
| Franklin County | 2.70 | 39.8 | 12.5% | 22.8% | 17.0% | 1988 | $833 | 18.4% | 83.2% | 5.4% |
| Stephens County | 2.56 | 43.2 | 13.6% | 26.4% | 13.7% | 1981 | $868 | 15.9% | 86.0% | 5.7% |
| Banks County | 2.82 | 41.9 | 7.9% | 21.3% | 8.6% | 1994 | $915 | 19.0% | 83.4% | 3.3% |
| Habersham County | 2.81 | 39.9 | 9.2% | 27.2% | 12.7% | 1990 | $976 | 24.9% | 82.7% | 2.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Rice County, MN · Oldham County, KY · Otero County, NM · Otsego County, NY · Pearl River County, MS · Pickaway County, OH · Pike County, PA · Pittsylvania County, VA · Pope County, AR · Pulaski County, KY
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 Pender 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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