Morehead City, NC

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2023 Population

68,652

0.437% 1-year growth

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

50.1

0.401% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

10%

3.9% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$70,235

4.88% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$304,200

9.66% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

30,470

1.47% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Morehead City, NC had a population of 68.7k people with a median age of 50.1 and a median household income of $70,235. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Morehead City, NC grew from 68,353 to 68,652, a 0.437% increase and its median household income grew from $66,965 to $70,235, a 4.88% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Morehead City, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (85.5%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (4.19%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (4.14%), Other (Hispanic) (1.75%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (1.5%).

None of the households in Morehead City, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98.6% of the residents in Morehead City, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Morehead City, NC are Carteret Community College (533 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2023, the median property value in Morehead City, NC was $304,200, and the homeownership rate was 73.5%.

Most people in Morehead City, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Morehead City, NC was 2 cars per household.

Morehead City, NC borders Jacksonville, NC and New Bern, NC.

United States North Carolina

Population & Diversity

Morehead City, NC is home to a population of 68.7k people, from which 98.6% are citizens. As of 2023, 3.25% of Morehead City, NC residents were born outside of the country (2.23k people).

In 2023, there were 20.4 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (58.7k people) in Morehead City, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 2.88k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 2.84k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.6%

2023 Citizenship

98.6%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 98.6% of Morehead City, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Morehead City, NC was 98.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Morehead City, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Morehead City, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
58.7k ± 255
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
2.88k ± 254
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
2.84k ± 384

4.7%

Hispanic Population

3.23k people

4.7% of the people in Morehead City, NC are hispanic (3.23k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Morehead City, NC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
214,508 ± 11,254 people
India
79,868 ± 6,912 people
Honduras
39,759 ± 4,886 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 214,508 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 79,868 and Honduras with 39,759.

Foreign-Born Population

3.25%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

2.23k people

2022 Foreign-Born Population

2.05k people

As of 2023, 3.25% of Morehead City, NC residents (2.23k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Morehead City, NC was 3%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Morehead City, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
2,561 ± 238
Gulf War (2001-)
1,782 ± 252
Gulf War (1990s)
1,007 ± 189

Morehead City, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.44 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Morehead City, NC employs 30.5k people. The largest industries in Morehead City, NC are Retail Trade (3,988 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (3,682 people), and Public Administration (2,550 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($108,500), Transportation & Warehousing ($72,049), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($69,926).

Males in North Carolina have an average income that is 1.31 times higher than the average income of females, which is $57,464. The income inequality in North Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is 0.47, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

30.5k

2023 Value

± 1,181

1.47%

1 Year growth

± 5.26%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Morehead City, NC grew at a rate of 1.47%, from 30k employees to 30.5k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Morehead City, NC, are Management Occupations (3,772 people), Sales & Related Occupations (3,485 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (2,653 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Morehead City, NC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

30.5k

2023 Value

± 1,181

1.47%

1 Year growth

± 5.26%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Morehead City, NC grew at a rate of 1.47%, from 30k employees to 30.5k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Morehead City, NC, are Retail Trade (3,988 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (3,682 people), and Public Administration (2,550 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Morehead City, NC, though some of these residents may live in Morehead City, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$46,933

Median earning men ± $2,225

$36,051

Median earning women ± $1,628

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($71,250), Public Administration ($68,750), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($66,299).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Public Administration ($61,000), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($51,946), and Wholesale Trade ($48,393).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Y-Axis

3.04%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.86M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 3.04% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in North Carolina.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

216
Construction
155
Other Services (except Public Administration)
141
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$190k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$144k
Retail Trade
$104k
Accommodation and Food Services

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Education

In 2022, universities in Morehead City, NC awarded 533 degrees. The student population of Morehead City, NC in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 520 male students and 1,034 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Morehead City, NC are White (417 and 78.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (38 and 7.18%), Black or African American (37 and 6.99%), and Two or More Races (21 and 3.97%).

The largest universities in Morehead City, NC by number of degrees awarded are Carteret Community College (533 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Morehead City, NC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (104 and 19.5%), General Business Administration & Management (34 and 6.38%), and Information Technology (33 and 6.19%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2022 there were 1,554 students enrolled in Morehead City, NC, 33.5% men and 66.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,211 records, of which 65.6% were women and 34.4% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Liberal Arts & Sciences
104 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
20 degrees awarded
Radiographer
15 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Morehead City, NC was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 104 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Morehead City, NC according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Carteret Community College

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

533 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Carteret Community College with 533 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2022, 202 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Morehead City, NC, which is 0.61 times less than the 331 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 417 degrees mean that there were 11 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 38 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 2-year ($2,432) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($178) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($1,250) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Measure

In 2022, 0.944% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.805% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (2.16M), Some college (1.84M), and Bachelors Degree (1.63M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Morehead City, NC was $304,200 in 2023, which is 1 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $277,400 to $304,200, a 9.66% increase. The homeownership rate in Morehead City, NC is 73.5%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Morehead City, NC have an average commute time of 23.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Morehead City, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Morehead City, NC is $70,235. In 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Morehead City, NC was Wake County, NC with a value of $101,763, followed by Union County, NC and Currituck County, NC, with respective values of $99,243 and $91,548.

Housing

Property

$304,200

Median Property Value 2023

±$11,253

$22,932

Median Property Taxes

±$883

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Morehead City, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Morehead City, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

73.5%

Homeownership

2023

71.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 73.5% of the housing units in Morehead City, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 72.9%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Morehead City, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Morehead City, NC was Wake County, NC with a value of $101,763, followed by Union County, NC and Currituck County, NC, with respective values of $99,243 and $91,548.

The following map shows all of the counties in Morehead City, NC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$70,235

Median Household Income

± $2,152

31.2k

Number of Households

± 1,205

In 2023, the median household income of the 31.2k households in Morehead City, NC grew to $70,235 from the previous year's value of $66,965.

The following chart displays the households in Morehead City, NC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Morehead City, NC is from North Carolina.

0.47

2022 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.47

2021 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2022, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0732% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in North Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (80.7%)
Worked At Home (10.3%)
Carpooled (6.18%)

In 2023, 80.7% of workers in Morehead City, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (10.3%) and those who carpooled to work (6.18%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

23.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Morehead City, NC have a shorter commute time (23.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 2.45% of the workforce in Morehead City, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Morehead City, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Morehead City, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Morehead City, NC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

10% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Morehead City, NC (6.78k out of 67.5k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 55 - 64, followed by Males 55 - 64 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Morehead City, NC is White, followed by Two Or More and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

90.7% of the population of Morehead City, NC has health coverage, with 35% on employee plans, 10.3% on Medicaid, 17.1% on Medicare, 23.4% on non-group plans, and 4.87% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see 1413 patients per year on average, which represents a 1% increase from the previous year (1399 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1657 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 336 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

1,413 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in North Carolina

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see an average of 1,413 patients per year. This represents a 1% increase from the previous year (1,399 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in North Carolina in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 18.8% under 18 years, 14.1% between 18 and 34 years, 40.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 26.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48% were men and 52% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

9.27%

Uninsured

35%

Employer Coverage

10.3%

Medicaid

17.1%

Medicare

23.4%

Non-Group

4.87%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Morehead City, NC declined by 8.51% from 10.1% to 9.27%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Morehead City, NC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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