Town · North Carolina
Carthage, North Carolina
Carthage, town, in Moore County, North Carolina. Carthage had 3,070 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 10.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,775 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,896 (±17). GEOID 3710680.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
3,070
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,775 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,896 ±17
Median household income
$82,695
±$18,936 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$208,200
±$52,300 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$904
±$366 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Carthage and what county is it in?
Carthage is a town in Moore County, North Carolina. It covers 6.8 square miles of land, 407 residents per square mile in 2020.
Carthage is in the Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Carthage, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 3,070 people lived in Carthage on July 1, 2025, up 10.8% since 2020, faster than North Carolina (+7.2%). The 2020 Census counted 2,775 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,896 (±17).
| Measure | Carthage | Moore County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,896 ±17 | 104,876 | +416 |
| Households | 1,146 ±98 | 44,013 | +179 |
| Average household size | 2.40 ±0.20 | 2.36 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,378 ±125 | 50,280 | +216 |
Carthage's population since 2000
From 1,871 in 2000 to 3,070 in 2025: up 64.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Carthage as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Carthage?
The median resident of Carthage is 44.7 years old; 22.0% are under 18 and 19.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 73.1%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 18.1%.
| Measure | Carthage | Moore County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.7 ±5.6 | 43.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 22.0% ±4.5 pts | 21.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 19.5% ±3.7 pts | 24.1% | – |
| Male | 46.5% ±4.0 pts | 49.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.2% ±4.1 pts | 7.8% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 73.1% ±8.1 pts | 75.7% | −13.1 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 18.1% ±8.2 pts | 8.9% | +10.9 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±1.0 pts | 1.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.0% ±1.9 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.8% ±1.4 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.2% ±2.0 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.8% ±4.8 pts | 13.1% | – |
| With a disability | 21.4% ±4.9 pts | 15.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.1% ±2.6 pts | 7.6% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.9% ±4.3 pts | 93.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 30.6% ±7.2 pts | 41.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 18.0% ±7.3 pts | 17.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.2% ±4.8 pts | 87.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.9% ±3.6 pts | 4.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Carthage earn?
Half of Carthage's 1,146 households earn less than $82,695 a year (±$18,936), against $86,080 in Moore County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $59,542 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 14.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Carthage | Moore County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $82,695 ±$18,936 | $86,080 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $90,965 ±$12,451 | $107,924 | – |
| Per capita income | $35,983 ±$4,805 | $45,505 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 14.2% ±7.0 pts | 10.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 23.7% ±17.1 pts | 12.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 14.7% ±6.3 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 92.6% ±4.3 pts | 95.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 87.7% ±5.9 pts | 90.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Carthage?
Owners occupy 81.6% of Carthage's occupied homes and renters 18.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $208,200 by its owner (±$52,300). The median renter pays $904 a month including utilities, and 47.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Carthage | Moore County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $208,200 ±$52,300 | $351,400 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $904 ±$366 | $1,254 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 47.4% ±20.6 pts | 38.1% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,429 ±$267 | $1,780 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 81.6% ±7.5 pts | 76.4% | +14.9 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 18.4% ±7.5 pts | 23.6% | – |
| Housing units | 1,378 ±125 | 50,280 | +216 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.9% ±3.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 16.9% ±14.9 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 70.5% ±8.3 pts | 73.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 14.9% ±9.0 pts | 10.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.0% ±1.8 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 15.2% ±5.4 pts | 18.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 16.9% ±7.3 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.6% ±3.1 pts | 4.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Carthage work and get to work?
75.9% of Carthage's workers drive alone and 14.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 26.9 minutes.
| Measure | Carthage | Moore County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 64.9% ±6.2 pts | 57.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% ±2.2 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 75.9% ±8.5 pts | 77.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.5% ±3.7 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.5% ±2.5 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 1.1% ±1.7 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Worked from home | 14.3% ±6.6 pts | 12.2% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 26.9 min ±4.0 | 26.6 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Carthage?
1 census tract lies mostly in Carthage, and 5 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9504.03Moore County | 2,423 | $69,773 |
| Tract 9504.02Moore County | 4,138 | $63,417 |
| Tract 9504.04Moore County | 3,008 | $74,286 |
| Tract 9505.07Moore County | 4,672 | $84,866 |
| Tract 9506.04Moore County | 3,776 | $105,061 |
| Tract 9506.03Moore County | 4,248 | $61,134 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Carthage) · Census block assignment files
How does Carthage compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Carthage is the 6,265th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 214th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Carthage ranks 123rd of 434 places in North Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 214th | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 64th | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 391st | 443 |
| Median household income | 123rd | 434 |
| Per capita income | 179th | 443 |
| Median home value | 275th | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 252nd | 395 |
| Poverty rate | 194th | 341 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 176th | 421 |
| Median age | 135th | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 103rd | 443 |
| Work from home | 135th | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 132nd | 439 |
Carthage's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Carthage with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Carthage?
17 of the 57 figures for Carthage on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Carthage are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Carthage.