Onslow County, North Carolina Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 13th-largest in North Carolina

The population of Onslow County, North Carolina is 208,537 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 13th-largest county in North Carolina. The median household income is $64,568, the median home value is $219,500, and the median age is 27.1.

The population of Onslow County has grown 13.9% since 2010 (186,918 → 212,954), a +0.94% annualized rate.

Onslow County within North Carolina · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

208,537

Population

+0.94%

Annual growth

274

People / sq mi

$64,568

Median Income

$219,500

Median Home Value

Onslow County covers 762 sq mi of land at 273.6 people per square mile.

About Onslow County, NC

Onslow County is a county in North Carolina with a population of 208,537. It ranks #13 among counties in North Carolina by population. The median age is 27.1, younger than the national median. The population is 55.8% male and 44.2% female.

The median household income in Onslow County is $64,568, below the US median of $74,580. 9.9% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $219,500, with monthly rent averaging $1,198. The homeownership rate of 61.0% is lower than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Onslow County reflects 26.1% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 10.9% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 21.6 minutes each way.

Onslow County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Onslow County had a population of 186,918 in 2010 and 212,954 in 2024, a 13.9% growth over 14 years. The peak was 212,954 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 0.94%.

212,954

Population (2024)

186,918

Population (2010)

212,954

Peak (2024)

0.94%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	186,918	-	-	estimate
2011	185,068	-1,850	-0.99%	estimate
2012	190,813	+5,745	+3.10%	estimate
2013	192,522	+1,709	+0.90%	estimate
2014	192,061	-461	-0.24%	estimate
2015	193,402	+1,341	+0.70%	estimate
2016	192,745	-657	-0.34%	estimate
2017	195,332	+2,587	+1.34%	estimate
2018	197,069	+1,737	+0.89%	estimate
2019	202,795	+5,726	+2.91%	estimate
2020	205,111	+2,316	+1.14%	estimate
2021	203,563	-1,548	-0.75%	estimate
2022	206,718	+3,155	+1.55%	estimate
2023	211,184	+4,466	+2.16%	estimate
2024	212,954	+1,770	+0.84%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	69.2%
Black or African American	12.5%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	3.8%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

27.1

Median Age

44.2%

Female

55.8%

Male

9.7%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

8.0%

5–9

6.6%

10–14

6.5%

15–19

7.9%

20–24

16.8%

25–34

17.4%

35–44

11.4%

45–54

7.7%

55–59

4.0%

60–64

4.1%

65–74

6.0%

75–84

2.8%

85+

0.9%

Children (under 15): 21.1% · Seniors (65+): 9.7%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$64,568$-5,336 vs state
Mean household income	$80,838
Per-capita income	$30,998
Poverty rate	9.9%+0.5% vs state
Unemployment rate	2.6%
Employment-to-population	42.8%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

21.1%

Education & health care

12.2%

Finance & real estate

10.9%

Construction

8.8%

Public administration

8.1%

Retail trade

5.9%

Manufacturing

5.2%

Information

4.9%

The largest employment sector in Onslow County is professional & business services, accounting for 21.1% of workers.

How residents commute

0.1%

Drive alone

7.5%

Carpool

66.4%

Public transit

10.9%

Work from home

21.6 min

Avg commute

Housing

$219,500$-39,900 vs state

Median home value

$1,198

Median rent

61.0%

Homeownership rate

85,917

Total housing units

84.4%

Occupied

15.6%

Vacant

39.0%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

89.9%

With health insurance

97.0%

With broadband internet

60.8%

Foreign-born

21.8%

Veterans (18+)

16.6%

With a disability

89.7%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

93.2%

High School+

26.1%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in North Carolina

Charlotte (886,283)Raleigh (470,763)Greensboro (298,564)Durham (288,465)Winston-Salem (250,887)Fayetteville (209,692)Cary (176,686)Wilmington (118,578)High Point (115,263)Concord (106,518)All North Carolina cities →

Other counties in North Carolina

Wake County (1,151,009)Mecklenburg County (1,130,906)Guilford County (542,987)Forsyth County (386,740)Cumberland County (336,749)Durham County (329,405)Buncombe County (271,790)Union County (244,975)Gaston County (231,485)Cabarrus County (231,262)All North Carolina counties →

Part of North Carolina

North Carolina demographic profile All North Carolina data →

Metro areas in North Carolina

Charlotte (2,712,818)Virginia Beach (1,782,590)Raleigh (1,449,594)Greensboro (779,894)Winston (683,637)Durham (594,291)Wilmington (440,578)Asheville (410,817)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Onslow County, North Carolina has a population of 208,537 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 13th-largest county in North Carolina. Population density is 274 people per square mile.

The population of Onslow County has grown 13.9% since 2010 (186,918 → 212,954), a +0.94% annualized rate.

The median household income in Onslow County, North Carolina is $64,568, with mean (average) household income of $80,838 and per-capita income of $30,998. 9.9% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Onslow County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (69.2%), Black or African American (12.5%), Hispanic or Latino (3.8%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Onslow County, North Carolina is 27.1 years. Residents are 44.2% female and 55.8% male.

The median home value in Onslow County is $219,500 and median monthly rent is $1,198. 61.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 85,917 total housing units, 15.6% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Onslow County, North Carolina is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 21.1% of workers. The unemployment rate is 2.6%.

Charlotte is among the largest cities associated with Onslow County, North Carolina, with a population of 886,283.