Warren County, North Carolina Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 82nd-largest in North Carolina

The population of Warren County, North Carolina is 18,751 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 82nd-largest county in North Carolina. The median household income is $45,279, the median home value is $124,700, and the median age is 48.6.

The population of Warren County has declined 9.0% since 2010 (20,974 → 19,081), a -0.67% annualized rate.

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

18,751

Population

-0.67%

Annual growth

People / sq mi

$45,279

Median Income

$124,700

Median Home Value

Warren County covers 429 sq mi of land at 43.7 people per square mile.

About Warren County, NC

Warren County is a county in North Carolina with a population of 18,751. It ranks #82 among counties in North Carolina by population. The median age is 48.6, older than the national median. The population is 49.3% male and 50.7% female.

The median household income in Warren County is $45,279, below the US median of $74,580. 17.0% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $124,700, with monthly rent averaging $771. The homeownership rate of 69.7% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Warren County reflects 19.0% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 8.9% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 27.9 minutes each way.

Warren County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Warren County had a population of 20,974 in 2010 and 19,081 in 2024, a -9.0% growth over 14 years. The peak was 20,986 in 2011. Average annual growth rate: -0.66%.

19,081

Population (2024)

20,974

Population (2010)

20,986

Peak (2011)

-0.66%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	20,974	-	-	estimate
2011	20,986	+12	+0.06%	estimate
2012	20,750	-236	-1.12%	estimate
2013	20,584	-166	-0.80%	estimate
2014	20,364	-220	-1.07%	estimate
2015	20,190	-174	-0.85%	estimate
2016	19,874	-316	-1.57%	estimate
2017	19,829	-45	-0.23%	estimate
2018	19,815	-14	-0.07%	estimate
2019	19,692	-123	-0.62%	estimate
2020	18,601	-1,091	-5.54%	estimate
2021	18,831	+230	+1.24%	estimate
2022	18,700	-131	-0.70%	estimate
2023	18,762	+62	+0.33%	estimate
2024	19,081	+319	+1.70%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	38.5%
Black or African American	47.1%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	6.7%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

48.6

Median Age

50.7%

Female

49.3%

Male

26.8%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

4.4%

5–9

4.9%

10–14

5.3%

15–19

6.7%

20–24

3.8%

25–34

10.7%

35–44

10.5%

45–54

10.8%

55–59

7.8%

60–64

8.2%

65–74

15.6%

75–84

7.9%

85+

3.3%

Children (under 15): 14.6% · Seniors (65+): 26.8%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$45,279$-24,625 vs state
Mean household income	$71,275
Per-capita income	$31,482
Poverty rate	17.0%+7.6% vs state
Unemployment rate	4.0%
Employment-to-population	45.9%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

21.1%

Manufacturing

18.7%

Public administration

7.7%

Construction

6.7%

Retail trade

6.5%

Education & health care

5.6%

Finance & real estate

4.9%

Information

4.1%

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

How residents commute

0.1%

Drive alone

1.4%

Carpool

78.7%

Public transit

8.9%

Work from home

27.9 min

Avg commute

Housing

$124,700$-134,700 vs state

Median home value

$771

Median rent

69.7%

Homeownership rate

11,543

Total housing units

68.7%

Occupied

31.3%

Vacant

30.3%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

89.4%

With health insurance

85.3%

With broadband internet

30.9%

Foreign-born

8.9%

Veterans (18+)

21.2%

With a disability

94.7%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

86.7%

High School+

19.0%

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

Warren County, North Carolina has a population of 18,751 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 82nd-largest county in North Carolina. Population density is 44 people per square mile.

The population of Warren County has declined 9.0% since 2010 (20,974 → 19,081), a -0.67% annualized rate.

The median household income in Warren County, North Carolina is $45,279, with mean (average) household income of $71,275 and per-capita income of $31,482. 17.0% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Warren County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are Black or African American (47.1%), White (38.5%), Hispanic or Latino (6.7%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Warren County, North Carolina is 48.6 years. Residents are 50.7% female and 49.3% male.

The median home value in Warren County is $124,700 and median monthly rent is $771. 69.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 11,543 total housing units, 31.3% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Warren County, North Carolina is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 21.1% of workers. The unemployment rate is 4.0%.

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