New Bern, NC

Census Place

2024 Population

32,734

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

38.9

3.71% 1-year decrease

2024 Poverty Rate

17.3%

5.95% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$61,031

7.27% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$240,100

Population & Diversity

New Bern, NC is home to a population of 32.7k people, from which 98.2% are citizens.

As of 2024, 5.8% of New Bern, NC residents were born outside of the country (1.9k people).

In 2024, there were 1.73 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (16.6k people) in New Bern, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 9.59k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 1.93k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.2%

2024 Citizenship

98.3%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 98.2% of New Bern, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in New Bern, NC was 98.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in New Bern, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
16.6k ± 858
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
9.59k ± 870
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
1.93k ± 352

6.98%

Hispanic Population

2.29k people

6.98% of the people in New Bern, NC are hispanic (2.29k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in New Bern, NC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

Mexico
228,441 ± 11,609 people
India
90,815 ± 7,367 people
Honduras
52,061 ± 5,588 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 228,441 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 90,815 and Honduras with 52,061.

Foreign-Born Population

5.8%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

1.9k people

5.4%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

1.7k people

As of 2024, 5.8% of New Bern, NC residents (1.9k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in New Bern, NC was 5.4%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
1,066 ± 245
Vietnam
962 ± 257
Gulf War (1990s)
725 ± 266

New Bern, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.11 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in New Bern, NC.

Economy

The economy of New Bern, NC employs 14.2k people. In 2024, the largest industries in New Bern, NC were Health Care & Social Assistance (2,590 people), Manufacturing (1,736 people), and Retail Trade (1,697 people), and the highest paying industries were Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($75,833), Public Administration ($75,664), and Manufacturing ($57,567).

Employment

Occupations

14.2k

2024 Value

± 1,054

2.3%

1 Year growth

± 10.5%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in New Bern, NC grew at a rate of 2.3%, from 13.8k employees to 14.2k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in New Bern, NC, are Sales & Related Occupations (1,553 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,170 people), and Management Occupations (1,143 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of New Bern, NC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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.

Industries

Employment by Industries

14.2k

2024 Value

± 1,054

2.3%

1 Year growth

± 10.5%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in New Bern, NC grew at a rate of 2.3%, from 13.8k employees to 14.2k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in New Bern, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,590 people), Manufacturing (1,736 people), and Retail Trade (1,697 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of New Bern, NC, though some of these residents may live in New Bern, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$44,702

Median earning men ± $5,348

$34,148

Median earning women ± $2,415

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($96,419), Public Administration ($75,039), and Wholesale Trade ($70,700).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($78,929), Manufacturing ($60,812), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($36,828).

Education

The student population of New Bern, NC in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 1,316 male students and 1,787 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in New Bern, NC are White (673 and 64.8%), Black or African American (127 and 12.2%), Hispanic or Latino (96 and 9.24%), and Asian (61 and 5.87%).

The largest universities in New Bern, NC by number of degrees awarded are Craven Community College (1,056 and 100%).

The most popular majors in New Bern, NC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (237 and 22.4%), Other Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies, & Humanities (176 and 16.7%), and Information Technology (96 and 9.09%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2024 there were 3,103 students enrolled in New Bern, NC, 42.4% men and 57.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,719 records, of which 54.7% were women and 45.3% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Liberal Arts & Sciences
237 degrees awarded
Other Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies, & Humanities
176 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
36 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in New Bern, NC was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 237 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Craven Community College

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

1,056 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Craven Community College with 1,056 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2024, 515 men were awarded degrees from institutions in New Bern, NC, which is 0.952 times less than the 541 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 673 degrees mean that there were 5.3 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 127 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 ($1,824) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

Public, 2-year ($198) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

Public, 2-year ($1,300) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

Housing & Living

The median property value in New Bern, NC was $240,100 in 2024, which is 0.722 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $211,500 to $240,100, a 13.5% increase. The homeownership rate in New Bern, NC is 59.7%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in New Bern, NC have an average commute time of 18.8 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in New Bern, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$240,100

Median Property Value 2024

±$17,455

$8,765

Median Property Taxes

±$803

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 New Bern, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

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

Rent vs Own

59.7%

Homeownership

2024

65%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 59.7% of the housing units in New Bern, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 60.1%.

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

Equity

Household Income

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

$61,031

Median Household Income

± $4,313

14.7k

Number of Households

± 1,027

In 2024, the median household income of the 14.7k households in New Bern, NC grew to $61,031 from the previous year's value of $56,893.

The following chart displays the households in New Bern, 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 New Bern, NC is from North Carolina.

0.466

2024 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.467

2023 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2024, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.466 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.16% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.474. 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 2024

Drove Alone (77.3%)
Carpooled (9.46%)
Worked At Home (8.8%)

In 2024, 77.3% of workers in New Bern, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.46%) and those who worked at home (8.8%).

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

18.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in New Bern, NC have a shorter commute time (18.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.03% of the workforce in New Bern, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

17.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in New Bern, NC (5.58k out of 32.3k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 35 - 44, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Females 65 - 74.

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

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

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

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

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