New Hanover County, North Carolina
Located in North Carolina, New Hanover County has a population of 235,229 residents and a median age of 39.9 years, making it the #300 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 12.3%. The median home value is $387,800, and the median household income is $75,166, which is 0% above the national median.
Demographics
New Hanover County has a population of 235,229, making it the #300 most populous county in the US. The median age is 39.9 years, which is 2.6% 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 New Hanover County is $75,166, ranking #831 out of 3,222 counties — 0.0% above the national median. The poverty rate is 12.3% and unemployment stands at 4.5%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in New Hanover County is $387,800 (+37.6% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,417/mo and the homeownership rate is 61.4%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In New Hanover County, 45.4% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 34.7% above the national average, ranking #169 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in New Hanover County is 77.6 years. 13.5% of adults report poor or fair health and 10.9% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
12.5% of adults in New Hanover County smoke , 32.4% are obese , and 22.8% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 40.8 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in New Hanover County is 6.7 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 15.5 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 11.8 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
15.5% of children in New Hanover County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 5.5 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 10.1 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in New Hanover County is 71.7%. The mean commute time is 22.8 min, which is 17.4% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, New Hanover County voted Democratic with a margin of 0.6%. The vote was 49.8% Dem / 49.2% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 1.6 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About New Hanover County, North Carolina
New Hanover County, North Carolina has a total population of 235,229, making it the 300th most populous county in the United States. The median age in New Hanover County is 39.9 years, which is 2.6% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in New Hanover County is $75,166, which ranks #831 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 0.0% above the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 12.3%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.5%.
The median home value in New Hanover County is $387,800, 37.6% above the national median. Renters in New Hanover County pay a median gross rent of $1,417 per month. The homeownership rate is 61.4%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In New Hanover County, 45.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 34.7% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 90.4% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 22.8 min.
New Hanover County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 74.7% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (10.7%) and Hispanic or Latino (7.9%).
All data for New Hanover 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.