Sampson County vs Watauga County
A side-by-side comparison of Sampson County and Watauga County: population, income, housing, and more.
Sampson County and Watauga County are counties in North Carolina. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Sampson County has the higher population (59,245 vs 54,607 in Watauga County). Sampson County has the higher median household income ($53,159 vs $51,367 in Watauga County). Watauga County has the higher median home value ($321,500 vs $128,400 in Sampson County).
Population, income & housing
| Sampson County | Watauga County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 59,245 | 54,607 |
| Median age | 39.7 yrs | 32.2 yrs |
| Median household income | $53,159 | $51,367 |
| Median home value | $128,400 | $321,500 |
| Median gross rent | $811 | $1,066 |
| Housing units | 25,739 | 33,028 |
| Homeownership rate | 72.8% | 61.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.8% | 47.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 9.0% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Sampson County | Watauga County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 63,385 → 59,245 (-6.5%) | 54,925 → 54,607 (-0.6%) |
| Median household income | $42,151 → $53,159 (+26.1%) | $47,526 → $51,367 (+8.1%) |
| Median home value | $89,300 → $128,400 (+43.8%) | $238,000 → $321,500 (+35.1%) |
| Median gross rent | $648 → $811 (+25.2%) | $870 → $1,066 (+22.5%) |
Sampson County
63,38559,245
$42,151$53,159
$89,300$128,400
$648$811
Watauga County
54,92554,607
$47,526$51,367
$238,000$321,500
$870$1,066
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Sampson County | Watauga County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 6.3% | 3.0% |
| 5 to 17 | 18.1% | 9.4% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.5% | 30.5% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.0% | 9.4% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.9% | 9.6% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.0% | 11.2% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.8% | 10.2% |
| 75 and over | 7.1% | 6.5% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Sampson County | Watauga County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 49.6% | 88.9% |
| Black or African American | 24.8% | 1.6% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 1.8% | 0.2% |
| Asian | 0.5% | 1.2% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Two or more races | 1.8% | 2.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 21.3% | 6.0% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Sampson County | Watauga County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 15.7% | 7.6% |
| High school graduate | 35.7% | 20.8% |
| Some college or associate's | 32.7% | 24.0% |
| Bachelor's degree | 11.4% | 25.8% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 4.4% | 21.9% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Sampson County | Watauga County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 82.5% | 74.7% |
| Carpooled | 10.9% | 9.9% |
| Public transit | 0.5% | 1.2% |
| Walked | 0.7% | 3.9% |
| Bicycle | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Worked from home | 4.5% | 9.6% |
| Other means | 0.9% | 0.8% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Sampson County | Watauga County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 60.3% | 64.7% |
| 1-unit, attached | 0.8% | 1.5% |
| 2 to 4 units | 1.5% | 8.0% |
| 5 to 19 units | 1.0% | 12.1% |
| 20 or more units | 2.3% | 5.7% |
| Mobile home & other | 34.2% | 8.0% |
Poverty & households
| Sampson County | Watauga County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 20.2% | 24.7% |
| Average household size | 2.71 | 2.29 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 30 | 21 |
| Median year structure built | 1986 | 1987 |
Full profiles
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