City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Walnut Creek, NC

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

1,684
Residents
$145,417
Median income
$423,800
Median home
$1,244
Median rent (state)

Walnut Creek - the verdict

Nationally, Walnut Creek sits in the 93rd percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

93rd
percentile, household income
79th
percentile, home value
40th
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: Walnut Creek, NC

North Carolina's Walnut Creek is a small town, with 1,684 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Walnut Creek households earn a median of $145,417 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 6.7%. Walnut Creek's housing stock carries a median value of $423,800, and the median resident age is 42.4 years. Educational attainment runs 68.0% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 54.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

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 $1,244 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in North Carolina run around $215, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 90.4 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

1,684 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$145,417 /yr

Poverty 6.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Walnut Creek compare to other US cities?

Walnut Creek measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 93% higher than other cities
Home value 79% pricier than other cities
Median rent 40% 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

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 Walnut Creek'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.

93rdIncome percentile

93rd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Walnut Creek's home value compares nationally

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

$423,800 21st percentile more affordable than 21% 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%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Walnut Creek $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 - Walnut Creek, NC Walnut Creek, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Walnut Creek, 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 Walnut Creek, NC median $145,417/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%
Walnut Creek, 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 Walnut Creek, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 68.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 54.8%

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

Population
1,684
Median Income
$145,417
Median Home Value
$423,800
Median Age
42.4
Poverty Rate
6.7%
Labor force participation
54.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
68.0%

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,060 residents1,080 residents1,100 residents1,120 residents1,140 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,079 residents 1,119 residents ▲ +3.7%
Walnut Creek's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
75.8%
Carpool
4.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
18.7%
Other
0.9%

Based on 654 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 Walnut Creek sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,244/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
90.4 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Bryson City
1,676 people
Horse Shoe
1,699 people
Lake Waccamaw
1,666 people
Hertford
1,703 people
Atlantic Beach
1,705 people
Tryon
1,713 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Walnut Creek's 1,684 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Mokuleia, HI
1,684 people
Oberlin, LA
1,683 people
Ridgely, MD
1,685 people
Howard City, MI
1,683 people
La Luz, NM
1,683 people
Houghton, NY
1,685 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Walnut Creek's $145,417 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Bay Head, NJ
$145,417 median income
Terramuggus, CT
$145,391 median income
Elmhurst, IL
$145,374 median income
Meadowbrook, AL
$145,464 median income
Grant, MN
$145,357 median income
Kirkwood, CA
$145,341 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Walnut Creek, 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 Walnut Creek, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 93.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.2% White 93.7% Black or African American 1.1% Asian 0.8% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.3% Two or more races 4.1% 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 Walnut Creek 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
Walnut Creek (this city) 1,684 $145,417
Bryson City 1,676 $43,387
Horse Shoe 1,699 $67,703
Lake Waccamaw 1,666 $79,844
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Walnut Creek, NC?

What is the population of Walnut Creek, NC? +

The population of Walnut Creek, NC stands at 1,684 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Walnut Creek, NC? +

Median annual household income in Walnut Creek runs $145,417, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Walnut Creek? +

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

Walnut Creek's median home value sits at $423,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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