Harnett County vs Wayne County
A side-by-side comparison of Harnett County and Wayne County: population, income, housing, and more.
Harnett County and Wayne County are counties in North Carolina. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Harnett County has the higher population (136,503 vs 117,606 in Wayne County). Harnett County has the higher median household income ($69,012 vs $58,082 in Wayne County). Harnett County has the higher median home value ($220,700 vs $162,700 in Wayne County).
Population, income & housing
| Harnett County | Wayne County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 136,503 | 117,606 |
| Median age | 35.4 yrs | 37.4 yrs |
| Median household income | $69,012 | $58,082 |
| Median home value | $220,700 | $162,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,080 | $932 |
| Housing units | 54,051 | 53,134 |
| Homeownership rate | 69.5% | 61.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.9% | 21.3% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 5.4% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Harnett County | Wayne County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 132,283 → 136,503 (+3.2%) | 123,603 → 117,606 (-4.9%) |
| Median household income | $53,554 → $69,012 (+28.9%) | $44,416 → $58,082 (+30.8%) |
| Median home value | $154,000 → $220,700 (+43.3%) | $123,500 → $162,700 (+31.7%) |
| Median gross rent | $893 → $1,080 (+20.9%) | $777 → $932 (+19.9%) |
Harnett County
132,283136,503
$53,554$69,012
$154,000$220,700
$893$1,080
Wayne County
123,603117,606
$44,416$58,082
$123,500$162,700
$777$932
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Harnett County | Wayne County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 7.1% | 6.4% |
| 5 to 17 | 18.6% | 17.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| 25 to 34 | 15.2% | 13.6% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.1% | 11.6% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.0% | 11.8% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.2% | 12.9% |
| 65 to 74 | 8.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and over | 5.3% | 6.6% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Harnett County | Wayne County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 58.9% | 51.0% |
| Black or African American | 20.3% | 30.2% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.6% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 0.9% | 1.1% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 0.5% | 0.2% |
| Two or more races | 3.9% | 4.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14.6% | 13.2% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Harnett County | Wayne County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 11.3% | 13.6% |
| High school graduate | 29.0% | 30.4% |
| Some college or associate's | 35.8% | 34.7% |
| Bachelor's degree | 15.9% | 14.7% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 8.1% | 6.6% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Harnett County | Wayne County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 80.0% | 82.0% |
| Carpooled | 10.3% | 12.1% |
| Public transit | 0.0% | 0.4% |
| Walked | 1.7% | 0.7% |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Worked from home | 7.0% | 4.0% |
| Other means | 0.8% | 0.7% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Harnett County | Wayne County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 70.4% | 60.1% |
| 1-unit, attached | 2.8% | 2.4% |
| 2 to 4 units | 5.3% | 6.1% |
| 5 to 19 units | 2.3% | 4.4% |
| 20 or more units | 0.5% | 3.1% |
| Mobile home & other | 18.6% | 23.8% |
Poverty & households
| Harnett County | Wayne County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 14.5% | 16.9% |
| Average household size | 2.74 | 2.44 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 32 | 23 |
| Median year structure built | 1996 | 1983 |
Full profiles
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