Carteret County, North Carolina
Located in North Carolina, Carteret County has a population of 69,148 residents and a median age of 50.5 years, making it the #793 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 10.1%. The median home value is $333,300, and the median household income is $72,322, which is 4% below the national median.
Demographics
Carteret County has a population of 69,148, making it the #793 most populous county in the US. The median age is 50.5 years, which is 29.8% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Carteret County is $72,322, ranking #1,024 out of 3,222 counties — 3.8% below the national median. The poverty rate is 10.1% and unemployment stands at 4.0%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Carteret County is $333,300 (+18.2% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,108/mo and the homeownership rate is 74.7%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Carteret County, 34.5% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 2.4% above the national average, ranking #486 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Carteret County is 75.6 years. 15.3% of adults report poor or fair health and 12.3% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
13.5% of adults in Carteret County smoke , 31.6% are obese , and 21.0% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 47.7 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Carteret County is 3.9 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 21.4 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 14.5 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
14.4% of children in Carteret County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 5.7 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 12.8 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Carteret County is 75.8%. The mean commute time is 25.0 min, which is 9.5% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Carteret County voted Republican with a margin of 43.1%. The vote was 28% Dem / 71.1% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 1.1 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Carteret County, North Carolina
Carteret County, North Carolina has a total population of 69,148, making it the 793rd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Carteret County is 50.5 years, which is 29.8% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Carteret County is $72,322, which ranks #1,024 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 3.8% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 10.1%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.0%.
The median home value in Carteret County is $333,300, 18.2% above the national median. Renters in Carteret County pay a median gross rent of $1,108 per month. The homeownership rate is 74.7%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Carteret County, 34.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 2.4% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 91.9% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 25.0 min.
Carteret County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 85.3% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (4.9%) and Black (non-Hispanic) (4.1%).
All data for Carteret County, North Carolina comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.