Roanoke Rapids, NC

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2024 Population
64,606
US Senator
Thom Tillis
Republican Party
US Senator
Ted Budd
Republican Party
2024 Median Age
46
0.218% 1-year increase
2024 Poverty Rate
22.4%
6.04% 1-year decrease
2024 Median Household Income
$47,104
2.8% 1-year growth
2024 Median Property Value
$108,600
6.05% 1-year growth
2024 Employed Population
25,212
1.02% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Roanoke Rapids, 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.

98.5% of the residents in Roanoke Rapids, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Roanoke Rapids, NC are Halifax Community College (349 degrees awarded in 2023).

In 2024, the median property value in Roanoke Rapids, NC was $108,600, and the homeownership rate was 66.2%.

Most people in Roanoke Rapids, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 26.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Roanoke Rapids, NC was 2 cars per household.

Roanoke Rapids, NC borders Raleigh, NC and Rocky Mount, NC.

United StatesNorth Carolina

Population & Diversity

Roanoke Rapids, NC is home to a population of 64.6k people, from which 98.5% are citizens. As of 2024, 2.35% of Roanoke Rapids, NC residents were born outside of the country (1.52k people).

In 2024, there were 1.4 times more Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents (33.8k people) in Roanoke Rapids, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 24.1k White (Non-Hispanic) and 2.14k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.5%
2024 Citizenship
98.5%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 98.5% of Roanoke Rapids, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Roanoke Rapids, NC was 98.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Roanoke Rapids, NC
  1. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
    33.8k ± 397
  2. White (Non-Hispanic)
    24.1k ± 239
  3. Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
    2.14k ± 409
3.13%
Hispanic Population
2.02k people

In 2024, there were 1.4 times more Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents (33.8k people) in Roanoke Rapids, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 24.1k White (Non-Hispanic) and 2.14k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

3.13% of the people in Roanoke Rapids, NC are hispanic (2.02k people).

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

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.
Most Common Origin
  1. Mexico
    224,963 ± 11,520 people
  2. India
    83,219 ± 7,055 people
  3. Honduras
    48,247 ± 5,380 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 224,963 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 83,219 and Honduras with 48,247.

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Foreign-Born Population

2.35%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
1.52k people
2.23%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
1.46k people

As of 2024, 2.35% of Roanoke Rapids, NC residents (1.52k 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 Roanoke Rapids, NC was 2.23%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    1,257 ± 203
  2. Gulf War (1990s)
    571 ± 139
  3. Gulf War (2001-)
    495 ± 148

Roanoke Rapids, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.2 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Roanoke Rapids, NC.

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Economy

The economy of Roanoke Rapids, NC employs 25.2k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Roanoke Rapids, NC were Manufacturing (4,823 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (3,583 people), and Retail Trade (2,733 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($84,412), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($72,591), and Finance & Insurance ($58,611).

Employment

Occupations

25.2k
2024 Value
± 1,198
1.02%
1 Year growth
± 6.68%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Roanoke Rapids, NC grew at a rate of 1.02%, from 25k employees to 25.2k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Roanoke Rapids, NC, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (3,131 people), Production Occupations (2,817 people), and Management Occupations (2,235 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Roanoke Rapids, NC.

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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.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

25.2k
2024 Value
± 1,198
1.02%
1 Year growth
± 6.68%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Roanoke Rapids, NC grew at a rate of 1.02%, from 25k employees to 25.2k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Roanoke Rapids, NC, are Manufacturing (4,823 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (3,583 people), and Retail Trade (2,733 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Roanoke Rapids, NC, though some of these residents may live in Roanoke Rapids, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$43,797
Median earning men ± $3,145
$35,872
Median earning women ± $1,420

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($56,111), Public Administration ($53,218), and Construction ($50,300).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($56,944), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($55,208), and Public Administration ($52,981).

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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.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments
  1. 108
    Other Services (except Public Administration)
  2. 103
    Retail Trade
  3. 91
    Retail Trade

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

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

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Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll
  1. $158k
    Manufacturing
  2. $130k
    Health Care and Social Assistance
  3. $82.8k
    Retail Trade

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

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Education

In 2023, universities in Roanoke Rapids, NC awarded 349 degrees. The student population of Roanoke Rapids, NC in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 338 male students and 675 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Roanoke Rapids, NC are Black or African American (157 and 45%), White (131 and 37.5%), Unknown (31 and 8.88%), and Hispanic or Latino (15 and 4.3%).

The largest universities in Roanoke Rapids, NC by number of degrees awarded are Halifax Community College (349 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Roanoke Rapids, NC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (88 and 25.2%), Registered Nursing (36 and 10.3%), and Other Electromechanical, Instrumentation, & Maintenance Technology (21 and 6.02%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 1,013 students enrolled in Roanoke Rapids, NC, 33.4% men and 66.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Black or African American with 500 records, of which 70.6% were women and 29.4% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. Liberal Arts & Sciences
    88 degrees awarded
  2. Registered Nursing
    36 degrees awarded
  3. Other Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies, & Humanities
    19 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Roanoke Rapids, NC was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 88 degrees awarded.

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

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Universities

Gender
Race
Halifax Community College
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
349 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Halifax Community College with 349 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

In 2023, 140 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Roanoke Rapids, NC, which is 0.67 times less than the 209 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Black or African American students. These 157 degrees mean that there were 1.2 times more degrees awarded to Black or African American students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 131 degrees awarded.

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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.

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Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 2-year ($2,432) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($176) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($2,000) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Roanoke Rapids, NC was $108,600 in 2024, which is 0.326 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $102,400 to $108,600, a 6.05% increase. The homeownership rate in Roanoke Rapids, NC is 66.2%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Roanoke Rapids, NC have an average commute time of 26.8 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Roanoke Rapids, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$108,600
Median Property Value 2024
±$5,824
$18,690
Median Property Taxes
±$882

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

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

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Rent vs Own

66.2%
Homeownership
2024
62.7%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 66.2% of the housing units in Roanoke Rapids, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 66.1%.

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

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Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$47,104
Median Household Income
± $2,728
28.2k
Number of Households
± 1,244

In 2024, the median household income of the 28.2k households in Roanoke Rapids, NC grew to $47,104 from the previous year's value of $45,823.

The following chart displays the households in Roanoke Rapids, 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 < $10k range.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Roanoke Rapids, NC is from North Carolina.
0.467
2023 Wage GINI in North Carolina
0.47
2022 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2023, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.467 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.639% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.476. 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.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024
  1. Drove Alone (77.9%)
  2. Carpooled (9.69%)
  3. Worked At Home (7.71%)

In 2024, 77.9% of workers in Roanoke Rapids, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.69%) and those who worked at home (7.71%).

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.

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Commute Time

26.8 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Roanoke Rapids, NC have a longer commute time (26.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 4.5% of the workforce in Roanoke Rapids, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

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Car Ownership

2 cars
Average Number

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

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Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

22.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Roanoke Rapids, NC (14k out of 62.7k 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 25 - 34, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Females 6 - 11.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Roanoke Rapids, 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.

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Health

91% of the population of Roanoke Rapids, NC has health coverage, with 30.7% on employee plans, 26.5% on Medicaid, 16.7% on Medicare, 15.3% on non-group plans, and 1.76% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see 1,413 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,413 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1634 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 299 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.6% were men and 52.4% were women.

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 0% change from the previous year (1,413 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.

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Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.8% under 18 years, 17.2% between 18 and 34 years, 37% between 35 and 64 years, and 24% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.6% were men and 52.4% were women.

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

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Uninsured People

8.96%
Uninsured
30.7%
Employer Coverage
26.5%
Medicaid
16.7%
Medicare
15.3%
Non-Group
1.76%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Roanoke Rapids, NC declined by 10.2% from 9.98% to 8.96%.

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

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