Carteret County vs Rutherford County
A side-by-side comparison of Carteret County and Rutherford County: population, income, housing, and more.
Carteret County and Rutherford County are counties in North Carolina. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Carteret County has the higher population (68,652 vs 64,850 in Rutherford County). Carteret County has the higher median household income ($70,235 vs $49,771 in Rutherford County). Carteret County has the higher median home value ($304,200 vs $180,800 in Rutherford County).
Population, income & housing
| Carteret County | Rutherford County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 68,652 | 64,850 |
| Median age | 50.1 yrs | 45.3 yrs |
| Median household income | $70,235 | $49,771 |
| Median home value | $304,200 | $180,800 |
| Median gross rent | $1,062 | $748 |
| Housing units | 51,615 | 32,682 |
| Homeownership rate | 73.5% | 74.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.3% | 20.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 5.5% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Carteret County | Rutherford County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 69,070 → 68,652 (-0.6%) | 66,599 → 64,850 (-2.6%) |
| Median household income | $57,194 → $70,235 (+22.8%) | $42,608 → $49,771 (+16.8%) |
| Median home value | $214,100 → $304,200 (+42.1%) | $118,300 → $180,800 (+52.8%) |
| Median gross rent | $902 → $1,062 (+17.7%) | $636 → $748 (+17.6%) |
Carteret County
69,07068,652
$57,194$70,235
$214,100$304,200
$902$1,062
Rutherford County
66,59964,850
$42,608$49,771
$118,300$180,800
$636$748
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Carteret County | Rutherford County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 3.8% | 5.0% |
| 5 to 17 | 13.3% | 15.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.3% | 7.2% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.4% | 11.3% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.5% | 11.0% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.2% | 13.4% |
| 55 to 64 | 17.2% | 14.8% |
| 65 to 74 | 16.1% | 13.1% |
| 75 and over | 10.1% | 9.0% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Carteret County | Rutherford County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 85.5% | 81.1% |
| Black or African American | 4.2% | 8.1% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Asian | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.3% | 0.7% |
| Two or more races | 4.1% | 3.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4.7% | 5.4% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Carteret County | Rutherford County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 7.3% | 13.4% |
| High school graduate | 23.6% | 31.1% |
| Some college or associate's | 36.8% | 34.8% |
| Bachelor's degree | 20.2% | 13.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 12.1% | 7.4% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Carteret County | Rutherford County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 80.7% | 81.2% |
| Carpooled | 6.2% | 9.0% |
| Public transit | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Walked | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| Bicycle | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Worked from home | 10.3% | 6.7% |
| Other means | 1.2% | 1.5% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Carteret County | Rutherford County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 60.8% | 73.3% |
| 1-unit, attached | 4.1% | 1.8% |
| 2 to 4 units | 5.0% | 4.4% |
| 5 to 19 units | 6.5% | 2.6% |
| 20 or more units | 6.7% | 1.0% |
| Mobile home & other | 16.9% | 16.9% |
Poverty & households
| Carteret County | Rutherford County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 10.0% | 17.6% |
| Average household size | 2.16 | 2.39 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 23 | 26 |
| Median year structure built | 1989 | 1980 |
Full profiles
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