Town · North Carolina
Morehead City, North Carolina
Morehead City, town, in Carteret County, North Carolina. Morehead City had 10,434 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 9.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 9,556 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 9,806 (±35). GEOID 3744320.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
10,434
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 9,556 · ACS 2020-2024: 9,806 ±35
Median household income
$56,233
±$3,697 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$357,400
±$28,587 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$1,134
±$85 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Morehead City and what county is it in?
Morehead City is a town in Carteret County, North Carolina. It covers 7.4 square miles of land, 1,289 residents per square mile in 2020.
Morehead City is in the Morehead City, NC micropolitan 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 Morehead City, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 10,434 people lived in Morehead City on July 1, 2025, up 9.0% since 2020, faster than North Carolina (+7.2%). The 2020 Census counted 9,556 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 9,806 (±35).
| Measure | Morehead City | Carteret County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 9,806 ±35 | 69,148 | +393 |
| Households | 5,169 ±252 | 31,977 | +741 |
| Average household size | 1.86 ±0.09 | 2.13 | −0.22 |
| Housing units | 6,449 ±318 | 52,181 | +594 |
Morehead City's population since 2000
From 7,691 in 2000 to 10,434 in 2025: up 35.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Morehead City 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 Morehead City?
The median resident of Morehead City is 44.2 years old; 17.6% are under 18 and 22.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 77.4%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 9.4%. 4.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Morehead City | Carteret County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.2 ±2.1 | 50.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 17.6% ±2.4 pts | 16.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 22.7% ±3.0 pts | 27.0% | – |
| Male | 46.7% ±2.8 pts | 48.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 9.4% ±2.8 pts | 4.9% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 77.4% ±3.8 pts | 85.3% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 5.4% ±1.8 pts | 4.1% | −4.4 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±1.0 pts | 1.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.3% ±2.3 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.5 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.0% ±1.4 pts | 2.9% | −2.4 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 9.2% ±2.3 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.0% ±2.0 pts | 12.0% | – |
| With a disability | 18.0% ±2.5 pts | 17.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 10.0% ±2.0 pts | 8.1% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.2% ±2.7 pts | 93.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 35.6% ±3.8 pts | 34.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 11.1% ±2.1 pts | 12.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 81.6% ±3.7 pts | 88.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.8% ±1.4 pts | 2.6% | – |
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 Morehead City earn?
Half of Morehead City's 5,169 households earn less than $56,233 a year (±$3,697), against $72,322 in Carteret County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $52,901 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 18.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Morehead City | Carteret County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,233 ±$3,697 | $72,322 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $81,901 ±$6,229 | $99,351 | – |
| Per capita income | $43,126 ±$3,630 | $45,736 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 18.1% ±4.0 pts | 10.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 22.8% ±9.1 pts | 11.5% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 15.2% ±4.2 pts | 9.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.1% ±2.6 pts | 97.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 87.8% ±3.6 pts | 93.4% | – |
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 Morehead City?
Owners occupy 46.7% of Morehead City's occupied homes and renters 53.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $357,400 by its owner (±$28,587). The median renter pays $1,134 a month including utilities, and 54.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Morehead City | Carteret County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $357,400 ±$28,587 | $333,300 | +$80,248 |
| Median gross rent | $1,134 ±$85 | $1,108 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 54.7% ±8.8 pts | 51.5% | +19.2 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,932 ±$126 | $1,779 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 46.7% ±4.4 pts | 74.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 53.3% ±4.4 pts | 25.3% | – |
| Housing units | 6,449 ±318 | 52,181 | +594 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.8% ±1.2 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 1.7% ±1.7 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 50.1% ±3.9 pts | 60.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 4.8% ±1.5 pts | 16.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.6% ±0.8 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 14.4% ±3.4 pts | 10.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 8.0% ±2.9 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 10.5% ±3.3 pts | 3.7% | – |
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 many new homes is Morehead City building?
Builders took permits for 52 new housing units in Morehead City in 2025 (52 in single-family houses), 5.0 per 1,000 residents against 7.7 across North Carolina.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Morehead City work and get to work?
81.9% of Morehead City's workers drive alone and 12.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 18.1 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 2.0%.
| Measure | Morehead City | Carteret County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 60.0% ±4.3 pts | 55.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.0% ±1.2 pts | 4.0% | −4.7 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 81.9% ±4.1 pts | 78.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 3.5% ±1.7 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.4% ±0.7 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 1.3% ±0.8 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 12.1% ±3.5 pts | 12.6% | +7.0 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.1 min ±1.6 | 23.2 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 Morehead City?
6 census tracts lie mostly in Morehead City, and 5 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $39,329 (Tract 9704.01) to $119,115 (Tract 9705.04).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9706.06Carteret County | 3,920 | $93,162 |
| Tract 9704.02Carteret County | 1,298 | $45,500 |
| Tract 9704.03Carteret County | 1,281 | $56,414 |
| Tract 9705.03Carteret County | 2,230 | $51,284 |
| Tract 9704.01Carteret County | 1,514 | $39,329 |
| Tract 9705.04Carteret County | 1,884 | $119,115 |
| Tract 9705.01Carteret County | 2,576 | $39,740 |
| Tract 9705.02Carteret County | 2,180 | $88,393 |
| Tract 9703.05Carteret County | 1,674 | $63,571 |
| Tract 9706.03Carteret County | 1,205 | $52,422 |
| Tract 9711.03Carteret County | 1,772 | $70,402 |
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 Morehead City) · Census block assignment files
How does Morehead City compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Morehead City is the 3,117th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 92nd-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Morehead City ranks 268th 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 | 92nd | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 89th | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 111th | 443 |
| Median household income | 268th | 434 |
| Per capita income | 110th | 443 |
| Median home value | 115th | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 147th | 395 |
| Poverty rate | 139th | 341 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 146th | 421 |
| Median age | 139th | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 401st | 443 |
| Work from home | 166th | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 401st | 439 |
Morehead City's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Morehead City 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 Morehead City?
7 of the 57 figures for Morehead City 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 Morehead City 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 Morehead City.