Wayne County, North Carolina Population 2024

119,923

Wayne County, North Carolina's estimated 2024 population is 119,923 with a growth rate of 1.04% in the past year according to the most recent United States census data. Wayne County, North Carolina is the 25th largest county in North Carolina. The 2010 population was 122,891 and has seen a growth of -2.42% since that time.

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change
Year
Population
Growth
Change
2029126,1081,2370.99%
2028124,8711,2371%
2027123,6341,2371.01%
2026122,3971,2371.02%
2025121,1601,2371.03%
2024119,9231,2371.04%
2023118,6861,2371.05%
2022117,4495920.51%
2021116,857-364-0.31%
2020117,221-6,683-5.39%
2019123,9044210.34%
2018123,4832820.23%
2017123,201-1,167-0.94%
2016124,368-32-0.03%
2015124,400-234-0.19%
2014124,63490.01%
2013124,625380.03%
2012124,5875320.43%
2011124,0551,1640.95%
2010122,89100%
1990104,6667,6127.84%
198097,05411,64613.64%
197085,4083,3494.08%
196082,05917,79227.68%
195064,2675,93910.18%
194058,3285,31510.03%
193053,0139,37321.48%
192043,6407,94222.25%
191035,6984,34213.85%
190031,3565,25620.14%
189026,1001,1494.61%
188024,9516,80737.52%
187018,1443,23921.73%
186014,9051,41910.52%
185013,4862,59523.83%
184010,8915605.42%
183010,3311,29114.28%
18209,0403534.06%
18108,6871,91528.28%
18006,77263910.42%
17906,133-119,975-95.14%
2024 Growth Rate
1.04% (1,237)
County Website
Wayne County
2020 Population
117,221
Area
554 mi²
Density
216 people/mi²
Growth Since 2020
2.31% (2,702)
Founded
1779

Population by Race

Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White64,68355%
Black or African American35,97930.59%
Two or more races12,20310.38%
Other race3,0932.63%
Asian1,3671.16%
Native American1800.15%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander1010.09%

White

Black or African American

Two or more races

Other race

Asian

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Wayne County, North Carolina Population by Race

Wayne County, North Carolina Population Pyramid 2024

Wayne County, North Carolina Median Age

37.4

Total

35.7

Male

39.4

Female

Wayne County, North Carolina Adults

There are 89,701 adults, (19,691 of whom are seniors) in Wayne County, North Carolina.

Wayne County, North Carolina Age Dependency

68

Age Dependency Ratio

28.1

Old Age Dependency Ratio

39.9

Child Dependency Ratio

Wayne County, North Carolina Sex Ratio

Female59,15750.3%
Male58,44949.7%

Wayne County, North Carolina Population by Age

Wayne County, North Carolina Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All46,8882.4461.538.5
Married20,8573.0780.419.6
Non Family16,0251.1850.549.5
Female7,4113.236.463.6
Male2,5953.125050

3.02

Average Family Size

2.44

Average Household Size

61.5%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Wayne County, North Carolina Households and Families

Male

Female

Education Attained
Count
Percentage
9th to 12th Grade6,1367.83%
Associates Degree9,38611.97%
Bachelors Degree11,53614.71%
Graduate Degree5,1936.62%
High School Graduate23,84430.41%
Less Than 9th Grade4,5225.77%
Some College17,79722.7%

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Wayne County, North Carolina Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Wayne County, North Carolina Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

Race
Total
High School
Bachelors
White43,72940,31211,205
Black24,48721,2303,824
Hispanic7,0393,590767
2+ Races5,3363,501679
Other Race1,577571194
Asian1,029887542
Native American1341023
Islander49470

The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 95.92%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 52.67%.

Wayne County, North Carolina Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

Name
Average
Male
Female
Bachelors Degree$55,101$61,772$53,066
Graduate Degree$69,441$92,694$58,841
High School Graduate$35,995$42,886$27,374
Less Than 9th Grade$26,832$29,385$20,501
Overall$40,705$47,250$34,245
Some College$38,319$50,400$30,359

$40,705

Average Earnings

$47,250

Average Male

$34,245

Average Female

Wayne County, North Carolina Earnings by Educational Attainment

Wayne County, North Carolina Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Wayne County, North Carolina Language

86.19% of Wayne County, North Carolina residents speak only English, while 13.81% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 11.43% of the population.

Wayne County, North Carolina Language

Wayne County, North Carolina Poverty by Race

rate

Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
Black35,1238,19623.34%
White58,7266,29810.72%
Hispanic15,2584,07026.67%
Multiple11,8922,63322.14%
Other3,00990029.91%
Islander9999100%
Asian1,303685.22%
Native1561912.18%

16.91%

Overall Poverty Rate

14.65%

Male Poverty Rate

19.1%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Wayne County, North Carolina

The race most likely to be in poverty in Wayne County, North Carolina is Islander, with 100% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Wayne County, North Carolina is Asian, with 5.22% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.42%. Among those working part-time, it was 19.66%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 23.32%.

Wayne County, North Carolina Poverty

rate

Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade31.36%
High School16.36%
Some College11.24%
Bachelors or Greater3.73%

Wayne County, North Carolina Poverty Rate by Education

rate

Rate
Poverty
Female Unemployed41.36%
Male Unemployed31.42%
Female Employed9.42%
Male Employed6.62%

Wayne County, North Carolina Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Wayne County, North Carolina Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

Name
Median
Mean
Families$73,138$91,869
Households$58,082$77,193
Married Families$95,223$112,053
Non Families$36,727$46,012

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Wayne County, North Carolina Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

46.6%

Overall Marriage Rate

48.6%

Male Marriage Rate

44.6%

Female Marriage Rate

Wayne County, North Carolina Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Wayne County, North Carolina Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.

Wayne County, North Carolina Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Wayne County, North Carolina Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

10,292

Number of Veterans

8,643

Male Veterans

1,649

Female Veterans

War
Veterans
First Gulf War4,722
Second Gulf War3,493
Vietnam2,718
Korea370
World War II101

Wayne County, North Carolina Veterans by War

count

Age Group
Veterans
65 to 742,603
55 to 642,562
35 to 542,520
75+1,456
18 to 341,151

Wayne County, North Carolina Veterans by Age

count

Name
Veterans
% of Total
White5,94912.05%
Black3,66213.5%
2+ Races5027.81%
Hispanic3944.52%
Asian595.81%
Other Race583.07%
Native American4029.2%
Islander2230.99%

Wayne County, North Carolina Veterans by Race

Wayne County, North Carolina Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

5.62%

Veteran Poverty Rate

30.88%

Veteran Disability Rate

Wayne County, North Carolina Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

60.7%

Labor Force Participation

53.7%

Employment Rate

5.4%

Unemployment Rate

Wayne County, North Carolina Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Wayne County, North Carolina Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Wayne County, North Carolina Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

64.24%

Born in Wayne County, North Carolina

93.09%

Native Born

6.91%

Foreign Born

4.75%

Non Citizen

2.16%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

93.09% of Wayne County, North Carolina residents were born in the United States, with 64.24% having been born in North Carolina. 4.75% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Wayne County, North Carolina Place of Birth

Sources