City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Elizabeth City, NC

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Elizabeth City - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

18,740
Residents
$50,947
Median income
$202,100
Median home
$1,216
Median rent (state)

Elizabeth City - the verdict

Elizabeth City ranks in the 21st percentile for household income and the 19th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

21st
percentile, household income
43rd
percentile, home value
37th
percentile, median rent
19th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Elizabeth City, NC

North Carolina's Elizabeth City is a small town, with 18,740 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $50,947 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 11.5%. Elizabeth City's housing stock carries a median value of $202,100, and the median resident age is 36.1 years. 28.0% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 53.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 74 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Growing), up 12% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2727.7 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Elizabeth City's yearly average temperature at 62.3°F with 51.3 inches of precipitation per year and 0.2 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts North Carolina at 94.3 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,216 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts North Carolina's average monthly utility costs around $215 (state average). Commute times here average 19.6 minutes, with 73.5% driving alone and 11.3% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 58.7 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Moderate).

Population

18,740 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$50,947 /yr

Poverty 11.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Elizabeth City compare to other US cities?

Where Elizabeth City sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 21% higher than other cities
Home value 43% pricier than other cities
Median rent 37% pricier than other cities
Safety 19% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at North Carolina, Elizabeth City ranks #100 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Elizabeth City's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in North Carolina, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

21stIncome percentile
19thSafety percentile

21st percentile nationally for median household income · 19th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Elizabeth City's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Elizabeth City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 33 Avg. percentile National median
Elizabeth City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Elizabeth City's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$202,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 57% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Elizabeth City $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Elizabeth City, NC Elizabeth City, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Elizabeth City, NC-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Elizabeth City, NC median $50,947/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Elizabeth City, NC's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Elizabeth City, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 28.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 53.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
18,740
Median Income
$50,947
Median Home Value
$202,100
Median Age
36.1
Poverty Rate
11.5%
Labor force participation
53.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
28.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2727.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
341.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2386.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
62.3°F
Annual Precipitation
51.3"
Annual Snowfall
0.2"

Schools

Total Schools
14
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
18,500 residents19,000 residents19,500 residents20,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 18,755 residents 19,622 residents ▲ +4.6%
Elizabeth City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Growing
Total Permits (2024)
74
housing units authorized
Single-Family
74
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 66
2020 77
2021 0
2022 88
2023 64
2024 74

Permit volume increased 12% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
19.6 minutes
Drive Alone
73.5%
Carpool
9.3%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
2.5%
Work from Home
11.3%
Other
3.4%

Based on 8,113 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for North Carolina - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$215
estimated/month

Estimates reflect North Carolina state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a North Carolina state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Elizabeth City sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,216/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
58.7 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Mebane
18,899 people
Lenoir
18,282 people
Harrisburg
19,203 people
Lumberton
19,220 people
Pinehurst
17,992 people
Knightdale
19,532 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Elizabeth City's 18,740 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Rutherford, NJ
18,748 people
Wisconsin Rapids, WI
18,756 people
Thomasville, GA
18,720 people
Marshfield, WI
18,718 people
Ottawa, IL
18,714 people
Clive, IA
18,776 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Elizabeth City's $50,947 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Dania Beach, FL
$50,948 median income
Rembert, SC
$50,950 median income
Detmold, MD
$50,951 median income
South Charleston, OH
$50,952 median income
Marcus Hook, PA
$50,952 median income
Pine Ridge, SD
$50,954 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Elizabeth City, NC Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Elizabeth City, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 38.5% 50.1% 6.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7.7% White 38.5% Black or African American 50.1% Asian 1.1% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 2.8% Two or more races 6.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Elizabeth City compares to nearby North Carolina cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Elizabeth City (this city) 18,740 $50,947
Mebane 18,899 $84,312
Lenoir 18,282 $48,889
Harrisburg 19,203 $143,393
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Elizabeth City, NC?

What is the population of Elizabeth City, NC? +

18,740 people live in Elizabeth City, NC according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Elizabeth City, NC? +

Median annual household income in Elizabeth City runs $50,947, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Elizabeth City? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Elizabeth City; the closest available measure is the North Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 94.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within North Carolina vary by metro area.

Is Elizabeth City, NC safe? +

Elizabeth City has a total crime rate of 2727.7 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Elizabeth City, NC? +

Elizabeth City's median home value sits at $202,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Elizabeth City? +

The average annual temperature in Elizabeth City runs 62.3°F, 51.3 inches of precipitation, and 0.2 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.