Carolina Demographics
Keep up with our latest demographic insights
Population in North Carolina, like the nation, and countries around the world, is increasingly clustered in urban areas. Half of the state’s population resides in 13 counties—all of which are within major metropolitan areas. In contrast, just 10% of North Carolina residents live in the 42 least populated counties in the state. As population shifts toward urban areas, these counties hold a steadily declining share of North Carolina residents. In 1920, nearly one in four…
Half of the 316 million people living in the United States live in one of the nation’s 145 most populous counties based on calculations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2013 Population Estimates. With 3,143 counties nationwide, this means that half of the U.S. population lives in just 4.6% of all counties. In North Carolina, half of the state’s nearly 10 million residents were living in 13 counties in 2013 (13% of the state’s 100 counties).…
1) Total births are not rebounding to 2007 levels. North Carolina births peaked in 2007, with nearly 131,000 babies born to North Carolina residents. Since then, total births have steadily declined. In 2013, 119,000 babies were born, a decline of 9% from the 2007 peak. 2) NC fertility rates are at their lowest level since 1996. The general fertility rate, measured as the number of live births per 1,000 women of childbearing age (women age…
Are you planning for 2020? The U.S. Census Bureau is. Research and testing for the content and delivery of the 2020 Census have been underway since 2012. Not only is the Bureau testing methods to improve response rates and reduce costs, they are also examining how to structure the questionnaire to best capture changing conceptions of identity and changing household types. John Thompson, the U.S. Census Bureau Director, recently wrote: "One challenge we face is…
“The first American Indian Day was celebrated in May 1916 in New York. Red Fox James, a Blackfeet Indian, rode horseback from state to state, getting endorsements from 24 state governments, to have a day to honor American Indians. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed a joint congressional resolution designating November 1990 as “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Similar proclamations have been issued every year since 1994.” – U.S. Census Bureau on the history…
2013 American Community Survey data estimates more than 681,000 veterans living in North Carolina. This is a notable decrease from 2012, when an estimated 720,500 veterans were living in the state. Since the non-veteran NC population is not decreasing, the proportion of North Carolina veteran residents decreased from 9.8% of the total state population to 9.1% from 2012 to 2013. Click here to view last year’s NC veteran data snapshot. The decline of North Carolina’s veteran…
The deadline to register to vote for tomorrow’s election was Friday, October 10, 2014. Just over 6.6 million voters registered in time for Election Day, according to data from the North Carolina State Board of Elections. Statewide, 42% of voters are registered Democrats. Northampton County has the highest share Democrat (76.4%), followed closely by Hertford (76.3%), and Bertie (75.6%). Thirty percent of voters are registered Republican. Mitchell (62.4%) and Avery (60.1%) have counties with the…
“Straddling the line between fall and winter, plenty and paucity, life and death, Halloween is a time of celebration and superstition. It is thought to have originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off roaming ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints and martyrs; the holiday, All Saints’ Day, incorporated some of the…
The Census Bureau released the 2011-2013 American Community Survey (ACS) estimates today. These estimates cover detailed socioeconomic characteristics of the population and are available for all counties with populations of 20,000. This release provides data on 84 counties in North Carolina. The final 2013 ACS release—the 2009-2013 data—covering all areas, including the census tract and block group levels, is scheduled for December 4. With the release of this data set, users can compare the time…
“When someone says the word “immigrant,” many people likely picture Europeans moving through Ellis Island during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Others think of a more recent time — especially after 1980 — when most immigrants arrived from countries in Latin America, such as Mexico, and, to a lesser extent, Asia. However, it may be surprising to learn that recent data show that the African foreign-born population is one of the fastest growing…
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