North Carolina population and demographics

The state people moved to most in 2025

Between July 2024 and June 2025, 84,064 more people moved to North Carolina from other states than moved away. That was the highest in the nation, ahead of Texas, a state almost three times its size. It was not a one-year spike: North Carolina has been among the top three states for net domestic migration in every year since 2020, with 98,454 in 2022, 98,929 in 2023 and 83,059¹ in 2024.

North Carolina84,064

Texas67,299

South Carolina66,622

Tennessee42,389

Arizona31,107

Georgia27,333

Alabama23,358

Florida22,517

Idaho19,915

Nevada14,914

Source: Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. Period: July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025.

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State	Net domestic migration 2024-25
North Carolina	84,064
Texas	67,299
South Carolina	66,622
Tennessee	42,389
Arizona	31,107
Georgia	27,333
Alabama	23,358
Florida	22,517
Idaho	19,915
Nevada	14,914

Measured against its size, North Carolina's total net migration, domestic and international together, was 11.8 per 1,000 residents, the 2nd highest rate in the country. The state's population grew by 145,907, or 1.32%, the 3rd highest¹ growth rate.

Growth that depends on newcomers

Natural change contributes little. North Carolina recorded 123,046 births and 107,917 deaths in the year to June 2025, a natural increase of 15,129. Over the five years since the 2020 Census, births exceeded deaths by 48,219, while net migration added 708,901: 476,921 from other states and 231,980¹ from abroad.

Births+632,711

Deaths−584,492

Net domestic migration+476,921

Net international migration+231,980

Residual (estimation adjustment)−544

Total change+756,576

Source: Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. Each bar starts where the previous one ended. The residual is the part of the change the Census Bureau cannot assign to a component.

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Component	People
Births	632,711
Deaths	−584,492
Net domestic migration	476,921
Net international migration	231,980
Residual (estimation adjustment)	−544
Total change	756,576

International migration fell in 2025, as it did nationally: from 82,899 in the year to June 2024 to 46,890¹.

Where the newcomers come from

Surveys of individual movers show that North Carolina trades people mostly with its neighbors. In 2024 the largest numbers of new arrivals came from Florida, South Carolina and Virginia, but large numbers also left for those same states. The largest net gains, before allowing for the survey's sampling error, were from states farther away, led by California and New York.

Moved to North Carolina from

Florida33,591 ±4,724

South Carolina29,982 ±4,618

Virginia28,409 ±5,573

Georgia19,031 ±4,094

California18,428 ±4,002

New York17,978 ±3,464

Texas16,498 ±3,764

Pennsylvania13,261 ±3,306

Left North Carolina for

South Carolina33,151 ±5,633

Florida25,865 ±5,677

Virginia22,757 ±3,383

Texas15,679 ±4,224

Georgia15,283 ±2,967

Tennessee11,741 ±3,542

New York10,076 ±2,104

Arizona9,435 ±5,922

Source: Census Bureau, State-to-State Migration Flows, 2024. People aged 1 and over who lived in another state a year earlier (and the reverse). Survey estimates: whiskers show the 90% margin of error.

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State	Moved in from	Moved out to
Florida	33,591 ±4,724	25,865 ±5,677
South Carolina	29,982 ±4,618	33,151 ±5,633
Virginia	28,409 ±5,573	22,757 ±3,383
Georgia	19,031 ±4,094	15,283 ±2,967
California	18,428 ±4,002	8,873 ±2,194
New York	17,978 ±3,464	10,076 ±2,104
Texas	16,498 ±3,764	15,679 ±4,224
Pennsylvania	13,261 ±3,306	7,838 ±2,108
Tennessee	–	11,741 ±3,542
Arizona	–	9,435 ±5,922

Altogether 299,782 people moved in from other states in 2024 and 241,172⁹ moved out. Tax returns show the same pattern: in 2022 and 2023 the state gained 69,108 more filers and dependents than it lost, 3rd highest, and arriving households reported $3.9 billion¹⁰ more income than departing ones.

Decades of moves show up in where residents were born. Only 52.0% of North Carolinians were born in the state, while 36.7% were born in another state: 15.2% elsewhere in the South, 11.0% in the Northeast, 6.4% in the Midwest and 4.1% in the West. Another 9.9%¹¹ were born abroad.

From 8.0 million to 11.2 million since 2000

The 2000 Census counted 8,049,313 North Carolinians. The count reached 9,535,483 in 2010 and 10,439,388⁶ in 2020, enough for the state to gain a seat in the House of Representatives after the 2020 Census (+1, to 14¹²). It now holds 3.28%¹ of the US population.

North CarolinaUnited States

Source: Census Bureau, Intercensal Estimates of the Resident Population for States, 2000-2010; Census Bureau, Intercensal Estimates of the Resident Population for States, 2010-2020; Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. July 1 estimates: intercensal series for 2000–2019, Vintage 2025 for 2020–2025.

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Year	North Carolina	United States
2000	100.0	100.0
2001	101.6	101.0
2002	103.0	101.9
2003	104.2	102.8
2004	105.8	103.8
2005	107.7	104.7
2006	110.3	105.7
2007	112.8	106.8
2008	115.2	107.8
2009	116.9	108.7
2010	118.4	109.6
2011	119.3	110.5
2012	120.3	111.4
2013	121.3	112.2
2014	122.2	113.1
2015	123.3	114.1
2016	124.6	115.0
2017	125.9	115.8
2018	127.1	116.4
2019	128.3	117.0
2020	129.3	117.5
2021	130.7	117.7
2022	132.5	118.4
2023	134.5	119.3
2024	136.8	120.5
2025	138.6	121.1

Since 2000 the state has grown much faster than the country as a whole. With 230.3 people per square mile, it is the 13th most densely populated¹⁵ state, and 66.7%¹⁶ of residents lived in urban areas at the 2020 Census.

Race and ethnicity

North Carolina has a larger Black population than most states: 19.2% of residents are non-Hispanic Black, 7.5 percentage points above the US figure (11.7%). Non-Hispanic white residents are 57.8%, down from 59.0% in 2024, and the Hispanic or Latino share is 12.6%, up from 12.0% in 2024².

Single group (adds to 100%)Alone or in combination with other races

White, not Hispanic57.8% 68.1%

Black, not Hispanic19.2% 22.4%

Hispanic or Latino (any race)12.6%

Two or more races, not Hispanic4.9%

Asian, not Hispanic3.9% 5.0%

American Indian and Alaska Native, not Hispanic1.0% 3.5%

Some other race, not Hispanic0.5%

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, not Hispanic0.1% 0.3%

Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B03002; Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B02009. The dark bars are mutually exclusive and add to 100%. The light bars count everyone who reported the race, alone or with another race and of any ethnicity, so they overlap and add to more than 100%.

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Group	Share (single group)	MOE	Alone or in combination
White, not Hispanic	57.8%	±0.1	68.1%
Black, not Hispanic	19.2%	±0.2	22.4%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	12.6%		–
Two or more races, not Hispanic	4.9%	±0.2	–
Asian, not Hispanic	3.9%	±0.1	5.0%
American Indian and Alaska Native, not Hispanic	1.0%		3.5%
Some other race, not Hispanic	0.5%	±0.1	–
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, not Hispanic	0.1%		0.3%

Counting everyone who reported American Indian or Alaska Native race alone or with another race, 3.5% of residents identify that way, 0.3 percentage points above the US figure (3.2%)¹⁸. On that broad count, no state east of the Mississippi River has a larger share. In the 2020 Census, the most common answers to the tribe question were the general answer Cherokee (69,776 people, alone or with another group) and the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina (56,793); the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians counted 7,631¹⁹. A person can report more than one tribe, so these counts overlap.

Age: close to the national middle

North Carolina's median age is 39.6 years, not statistically different from the US figure (39.5 years)³. Children under 18 make up 21.1% of the population and residents aged 65 and older 18.9%²⁰.

Utah 32.6Maine 45.1

Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B01002. Each dot is a state. Period: 2025.

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State	Median age
Maine	45.1
Vermont	44.6
New Hampshire	44.2
West Virginia	43.5
Florida	43.1
Hawaii	42.4
Delaware	42.2
Connecticut	41.6
Wyoming	41.5
Pennsylvania	41.4
Oregon	41.3
South Carolina	41.3
Wisconsin	41.3
Rhode Island	41.2
Montana	41.0
Michigan	40.9
New Mexico	40.6
Massachusetts	40.4
Ohio	40.3
Mississippi	40.2
New Jersey	40.2
Alabama	40.0
Maryland	39.9
Kentucky	39.8
Missouri	39.8
New York	39.8
Illinois	39.7
Nevada	39.6
North Carolina	39.6
Arizona	39.5
Minnesota	39.5
Tennessee	39.5
Virginia	39.5
Iowa	39.4
Louisiana	39.4
Arkansas	39.3
Washington	38.9
California	38.7
Indiana	38.7
South Dakota	38.5
Kansas	38.4
Georgia	38.3
Colorado	38.1
Idaho	37.9
Nebraska	37.9
Oklahoma	37.8
North Dakota	37.4
Alaska	37.0
Texas	36.2
District of Columbia	35.0
Utah	32.6

MenWomenUnited States

MenWomen

85+

80–84

75–79

70–74

65–69

60–64

55–59

50–54

45–49

40–44

35–39

30–34

25–29

20–24

15–19

10–14

5–9

0–4

Source: Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. Share of the total population in each age group. Vertical ticks: the United States.

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Age	Men (%)	Women (%)	US men (%)	US women (%)
0-4	2.84	2.72	2.76	2.65
5-9	2.96	2.83	2.96	2.83
10-14	3.03	2.91	3.08	2.95
15-19	3.32	3.17	3.31	3.16
20-24	3.51	3.35	3.43	3.28
25-29	3.33	3.37	3.46	3.37
30-34	3.26	3.38	3.41	3.38
35-39	3.22	3.41	3.38	3.40
40-44	3.01	3.22	3.21	3.27
45-49	2.86	3.08	2.93	3.03
50-54	2.90	3.10	2.83	2.96
55-59	2.91	3.16	2.86	3.02
60-64	2.94	3.29	2.96	3.21
65-69	2.69	3.13	2.75	3.08
70-74	2.24	2.73	2.26	2.64
75-79	1.73	2.18	1.71	2.08
80-84	1.00	1.34	1.00	1.32
85+	0.70	1.19	0.78	1.28

Income, poverty and housing costs

The median household income was $77,638 in 2025 (±$876), $7,142 (8%) below the US figure ($84,780). It was up from $75,904 in 2024 (in 2025 dollars), a statistically significant rise after adjusting for inflation, and is higher than South Carolina and Tennessee; lower than Georgia and Virginia⁴. The poverty rate of 12.1% is not statistically different from the US figure (11.8%)⁵.

Lower prices offset part of the income gap. The Bureau of Economic Analysis puts North Carolina's price level at 94.3 for 2024 (US = 100), 6% below the US figure (100.0)²¹. The median home value, $342,800, is $28,300 (8%) below the US figure ($371,100)²², and 67.0%²³ of households own their home.

Southern Baptist and non-denominational churches

The Southern Baptist Convention is North Carolina's largest religious body: 4,374 churches in the 2020 U.S. Religion Census, counting 12.7% of residents. Non-denominational churches were second (10.1%) and the Catholic Church third (8.9%²⁵).

Readers ask what percent of North Carolina is Christian, Catholic or Muslim. Christian congregations counted 50.4% of residents, and the mosque study estimated 130,661 people taking part in mosques (1.25%²⁵). These are counts kept by congregations, not a survey of belief (religion overview).

Education: past the national average

In 2005, 25.1% of North Carolina adults aged 25 and older held a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national 27.2%²⁶. By 2025 the share had risen to 38.1% (±0.5 percentage points), 0.7 percentage points above the US figure (37.4%), and it was up from 37.1% in 2024²⁷, a statistically significant one-year gain. These are shares of adults living in the state, including those who moved in with a degree.

North CarolinaUnited States

Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2005-2019 and 2021-2025. ACS 1-year estimates; no standard 1-year release for 2020. Shaded band: 90% margin of error.

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Year	North Carolina	United States
2005	25.1% ±0.3	27.2% ±0.1
2006	24.8% ±0.3	27.0% ±0.1
2007	25.6% ±0.3	27.5% ±0.1
2008	26.1% ±0.3	27.7% ±0.1
2009	26.5% ±0.3	27.9% ±0.1
2010	26.5% ±0.3	28.2% ±0.1
2011	26.9% ±0.4	28.5% ±0.1
2012	27.4% ±0.3	29.1% ±0.1
2013	28.4% ±0.3	29.6% ±0.1
2014	28.7% ±0.3	30.1% ±0.1
2015	29.4% ±0.3	30.6% ±0.1
2016	30.4% ±0.3	31.3% ±0.1
2017	31.3% ±0.3	32.0% ±0.1
2018	31.9% ±0.3	32.6% ±0.1
2019	32.3% ±0.3	33.1% ±0.1
2021	34.9% ±0.4	35.0% ±0.1
2022	35.9% ±0.4	35.7% ±0.1
2023	36.8% ±0.3	36.2% ±0.1
2024	37.1% ±0.4	36.8% ±0.1
2025	38.1% ±0.5	37.4% ±0.1

Work and commuting

The unemployment rate averaged 3.8% in 2025 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 0.5 percentage points below the US figure (4.3%). A smaller share of adults is in the labor force than nationally: 59.5%, 2.9 percentage points below the US figure (62.4%)²⁸. Commutes are shorter than average, 25.7 minutes²⁹ one way, and 15.1% of workers mostly work from home, 2.2 percentage points above the US figure (12.9%)³⁰. The state's economy, measured by gross domestic product, was $895.9 billion in 2025, the 9th largest³¹ in the country, matching its rank by population.

Health and veterans

Life expectancy at birth was 75.9 years in 2022, 1.6 years below the US figure (77.5 years)³². The share of people without health insurance, 8.4%, is not statistically different from the US figure (8.4%)³³. Veterans make up 7.4% of civilian adults, tied for 14th highest³⁴ among the states.