Sampson County, North Carolina
Located in North Carolina, Sampson County has a population of 59,470 residents and a median age of 39.7 years, making it the #903 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 21.8%. The median home value is $150,700, and the median household income is $52,432, which is 30% below the national median.
Demographics
Sampson County has a population of 59,470, making it the #903 most populous county in the US. The median age is 39.7 years, which is 2.1% 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 Sampson County is $52,432, ranking #2,636 out of 3,222 counties — 30.2% below the national median. The poverty rate is 21.8% and unemployment stands at 5.2%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Sampson County is $150,700 (-46.5% vs national). Renters pay a median of $834/mo and the homeownership rate is 73.8%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Sampson County, 16.2% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 51.8% below the national average, ranking #2,626 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Sampson County is 72.7 years. 23.4% of adults report poor or fair health and 16.6% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
19.7% of adults in Sampson County smoke , 38.5% are obese , and 17.4% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 28.6 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Sampson County is 9.4 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 6.9 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 30.8 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
26.0% of children in Sampson County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 6.8 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 33.5 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Sampson County is 65.9%. The mean commute time is 29.4 min, which is 6.6% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Sampson County voted Republican with a margin of 29.8%. The vote was 34.8% Dem / 64.6% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 7.3 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Sampson County, North Carolina
Sampson County, North Carolina has a total population of 59,470, making it the 903rd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Sampson County is 39.7 years, which is 2.1% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Sampson County is $52,432, which ranks #2,636 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 30.2% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 21.8%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 5.2%.
The median home value in Sampson County is $150,700, 46.5% below the national median. Renters in Sampson County pay a median gross rent of $834 per month. The homeownership rate is 73.8%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Sampson County, 16.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 51.8% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 84.4% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 29.4 min.
Sampson County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 49.2% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (24.0%) and Hispanic or Latino (22.0%).
All data for Sampson 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.