City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Jacksonville, NC

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

73,507
Residents
$54,069
Median income
$191,700
Median home
$1,173
Median rent (state)

Jacksonville - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Jacksonville lands in the 26th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

26th
percentile, household income
40th
percentile, home value
34th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Jacksonville, NC

Jacksonville is a small city in North Carolina, home to 73,507 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Jacksonville households earn a median of $54,069 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 10.0%. Typical homes in Jacksonville are valued around $191,700, and the median resident age is 23.3 years. Educational attainment runs 25.0% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 30.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 80 residential building permits were authorized in Jacksonville (Building Boom), up 233% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data.

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: the state registers 94.3 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,173 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts North Carolina's average monthly utility costs around $215 (state average). Workers in Jacksonville report an average commute of 13.1 minutes, with 55.1% driving alone and 10.8% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 95.0 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

73,507 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$54,069 /yr

Poverty 10.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Jacksonville compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 26% higher than other cities
Home value 40% pricier than other cities
Median rent 34% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Jacksonville against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to North Carolina only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

North Carolina-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher sits close to the middle of North Carolina's city distribution

Among the 746 North Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Jacksonville ranks #300 - the 60th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Jacksonville only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#405 of 700
42nd percentile in North Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#340 of 746
53rd percentile in North Carolina
Median Home Value
#352 of 708
50th percentile in North Carolina
Poverty Rate
#358 of 746
52nd percentile in North Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#300 of 746
60th percentile in North Carolina

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within North Carolina only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

26thIncome percentile

26th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Jacksonville's home value compares nationally

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

$191,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 60% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Jacksonville $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 - Jacksonville, NC Jacksonville, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Jacksonville, 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 Jacksonville, NC median $54,069/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%
Jacksonville, 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 Jacksonville, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 25.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 10.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 30.9%

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

Population
73,507
Median Income
$54,069
Median Home Value
$191,700
Median Age
23.3
Poverty Rate
10.0%
Labor force participation
30.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
25.0%

Schools

Total Schools
27
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
70,000 residents71,000 residents72,000 residents73,000 residents74,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 73,158 residents 72,732 residents ▼ -0.6%
Jacksonville's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
80
housing units authorized
Single-Family
72
detached homes
Multifamily
8
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 24
2020 101
2021 17
2022 102
2023 42
2024 80

Permit volume increased 233% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
13.1 minutes
Drive Alone
55.1%
Carpool
17.7%
Public Transit
0.2%
Walk
14.8%
Work from Home
10.8%
Other
1.4%

Based on 45,456 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 Jacksonville sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,173/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
95.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Apex
67,765 people
Gastonia
81,632 people
Huntersville
62,458 people
Chapel Hill
59,889 people
Burlington
58,599 people
Greenville
88,540 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Jacksonville's 73,507 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Bowling Green, KY
73,638 people
New Britain, CT
73,301 people
Ellicott, MD
73,737 people
Bolingbrook, IL
73,813 people
Kalamazoo, MI
73,132 people
Lauderhill, FL
73,961 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Jacksonville's $54,069 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Buchanan, MI
$54,068 median income
Hannibal, MO
$54,071 median income
Snyder, TX
$54,067 median income
Monette, AR
$54,063 median income
Bureau Junction, IL
$54,063 median income
Goofy Ridge, IL
$54,063 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Jacksonville, 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 Jacksonville, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 61.9% 16.6% 14.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 18.8% White 61.9% Black or African American 16.6% Asian 2.8% American Indian 0.9% Native Hawaiian 0.2% Some other race 2.8% Two or more races 14.8% 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 Jacksonville 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
Jacksonville (this city) 73,507 $54,069
Apex 67,765 $138,442
Gastonia 81,632 $60,554
Huntersville 62,458 $119,951
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Jacksonville, NC?

What is the population of Jacksonville, NC? +

Jacksonville, NC counts 73,507 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Jacksonville, the typical household earns $54,069 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Jacksonville? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Jacksonville; 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.

What is the median home value in Jacksonville, NC? +

The median home value in Jacksonville is $191,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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

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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.