State rank#10 of 100
Smallest county235,229 residentsWake County
Published county profile · Official data · FIPS 37129
New Hanover County, North Carolina
County-level income, housing, jobs, education, health, and population with transparent statewide comparisons and source periods.
Population235,229
Household income$75,166
Unemployment3.3%
Life expectancy77.6 years
County overview
Living metrics at a glance
New Hanover County has 235,229 residents and ranks #10 by population among North Carolina county equivalents. Median household income is $75,166. The annual-average unemployment rate is 3.3%. Its clearest relative strength is mental health access. Its county population is above the state county median. Every figure below stays at county scope.
Within North Carolina
County population range
The marker places this county between the smallest and largest county populations in the state.
Relocation guide
Moving to New Hanover County: what to check
Data narrows the search; municipality, neighborhood, commute, schools, and current listings complete the decision.
Before moving
Before moving, compare municipalities inside New Hanover County, because county averages do not describe every neighborhood. Review current housing inventory, commute destinations, school districts, healthcare access, and job locations. Its clearest relative strength is mental health access.
Cost and housing
Housing benchmarks are $387,800 median home value and $1,417/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $75,166, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
Who it may suit
New Hanover County may be worth a closer look for movers prioritizing mental health access, poor or fair health, and bachelor’s degree or higher. College attainment is 45.4% and life expectancy is 77.6 years.
Potential advantages
- Mental health access: 1 per 169 residents, rank #4 of 99 available North Carolina counties.
- Poor or fair health: 13.5%, rank #6 of 100 available North Carolina counties.
- Bachelor’s degree or higher: 45.4%, rank #8 of 100 available North Carolina counties.
Trade-offs to check
- Median gross rent: $1,417/mo, rank #95 of 100; investigate local variation before moving.
- Median home value: $387,800, rank #92 of 100; investigate local variation before moving.
- Uninsured: 10.9%, rank #22 of 100; investigate local variation before moving.
Income, housing, jobs, education & health
County metrics within North Carolina
Rank and range use only counties in North Carolina with that field available. A lower rank number is stronger when the metric has a clear direction.
Median household income
$75,166
$75,166; above the state county median of $60,230.
State rank #17 of 100 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Median home value
$387,800
$387,800; above the state county median of $219,700.
State rank #92 of 100 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Median gross rent
$1,417/mo
$1,417/mo; above the state county median of $886/mo.
State rank #95 of 100 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Unemployment rate
3.3%
3.3%; below the state county median of 3.7%.
State rank #14 of 100 · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics
Bachelor’s degree or higher
45.4%
45.4%; above the state county median of 23.5%.
State rank #8 of 100 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Life expectancy
77.6 years
77.6 years; above the state county median of 74.2 years.
State rank #11 of 100 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Poor or fair health
13.5%
13.5%; below the state county median of 18.9%.
State rank #6 of 100 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Uninsured
10.9%
10.9%; below the state county median of 12.3%.
State rank #22 of 100 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Primary care access
1 per 1,085 residents
1 per 1,085 residents; below the state county median of 1 per 2,158 residents.
State rank #10 of 98 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Mental health access
1 per 169 residents
1 per 169 residents; below the state county median of 1 per 521 residents.
State rank #4 of 99 · County Health Rankings & RoadmapsCommon questions
New Hanover County FAQ
Is New Hanover County a good place to live?
New Hanover County may be worth a closer look for movers prioritizing mental health access, poor or fair health, and bachelor’s degree or higher. College attainment is 45.4% and life expectancy is 77.6 years.
What should I know before moving to New Hanover County?
Start with housing, employment, commute, schools, healthcare access, and the specific municipality. Housing benchmarks are $387,800 median home value and $1,417/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $75,166, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
What is the population of New Hanover County?
New Hanover County has 235,229 residents in the 2020–2024 ACS 5-year dataset.
What is the FIPS code for New Hanover County?
The five-digit county FIPS code is 37129; the parent state FIPS is 37.
What is the median household income in New Hanover County?
The ACS median household income is $75,166.
How much does housing cost in New Hanover County?
Housing benchmarks are $387,800 median home value and $1,417/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $75,166, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
What is the unemployment rate in New Hanover County?
The BLS LAUS annual-average unemployment rate is 3.3%.
Similar population
Nearby counties in the state ranking
Source and gate
Methodology and source periods
All records join by five-digit FIPS. Profiles publish when ACS county population is at least 100,000 or the county is the state’s largest. Missing source values remain unavailable and are excluded from ranks. Runtime data was generated 2026-07-26.
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