City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Henderson, NC

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

14,922
Residents
$38,780
Median income
$116,800
Median home
$975
Median rent (state)

Henderson - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Henderson places in the 7th percentile for household income and the 1st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

7th
percentile, household income
16th
percentile, home value
18th
percentile, median rent
1st
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: Henderson, NC

14,922 people live in Henderson, North Carolina - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Henderson households earn a median of $38,780 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 21.6%. Henderson's housing stock carries a median value of $116,800, and the median resident age is 36.6 years. 16.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 54.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Henderson's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 7592.4 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 58.2°F with 48.6 inches of precipitation per year and 1.6 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, North Carolina scores 94.3 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $975 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts North Carolina's average monthly utility costs around $215 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 48.4 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

Population

14,922 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$38,780 /yr

Poverty 21.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Henderson compare to other US cities?

Here's how Henderson stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 7% higher than other cities
Home value 16% pricier than other cities
Median rent 18% pricier than other cities
Safety 1% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to North Carolina alone, Henderson ranks #189 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

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 Henderson'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.

7thIncome percentile
1stSafety percentile

7th percentile nationally for median household income · 1st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Henderson's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Henderson'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 30 Avg. percentile National median
Henderson'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 Henderson's home value compares nationally

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

$116,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 84% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $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. Henderson $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 - Henderson, NC Henderson, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Henderson, 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 Henderson, NC median $38,780/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%
Henderson, 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 Henderson, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 16.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 21.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 54.2%

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

Population
14,922
Median Income
$38,780
Median Home Value
$116,800
Median Age
36.6
Poverty Rate
21.6%
Labor force participation
54.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
16.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
7592.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1791.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
5800.8
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
58.2°F
Annual Precipitation
48.6"
Annual Snowfall
1.6"

Schools

Total Schools
17
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
14,900 residents15,000 residents15,100 residents15,200 residents 202020212022202320242025 15,139 residents 15,013 residents ▼ -0.8%
Henderson's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
79.8%
Carpool
9.3%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.7%
Work from Home
8.2%
Other
1.0%

Based on 6,011 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 Henderson sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$975/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
48.4 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Davidson
14,852 people
Roanoke Rapids
15,024 people
Laurinburg
15,079 people
Belmont
15,140 people
Hendersonville
15,253 people
Reidsville
14,547 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Henderson's 14,922 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Fairview, NJ
14,920 people
Waunakee, WI
14,927 people
Lake Arbor, MD
14,932 people
West University Place, TX
14,907 people
Lilburn, GA
14,939 people
Yauco zona urbana, PR
14,903 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Henderson's $38,780 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Hatfield, AR
$38,783 median income
Inwood, FL
$38,786 median income
Malden, MO
$38,786 median income
Hohenwald, TN
$38,791 median income
Pueblo Nuevo, TX
$38,800 median income
Reeltown, AL
$38,802 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Henderson, 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 Henderson, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 25.4% 61.7% 7.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 10.6% White 25.4% Black or African American 61.7% Asian 0.8% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 7.3% Two or more races 4.8% 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 Henderson 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
Henderson (this city) 14,922 $38,780
Davidson 14,852 $152,969
Roanoke Rapids 15,024 $53,981
Laurinburg 15,079 $39,258
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Henderson, NC?

What is the population of Henderson, NC? +

Henderson, NC has a population of 14,922 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Henderson, NC? +

In Henderson, the typical household earns $38,780 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Henderson? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Henderson; 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 Henderson, NC safe? +

Henderson has a total crime rate of 7592.4 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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 Henderson, NC? +

The median home value in Henderson is $116,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Henderson? +

Henderson has an average annual temperature of 58.2°F, 48.6 inches of precipitation, and 1.6 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 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

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

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.