Counties in North Carolina by median age on 1 July (US county estimates)

Clay County had the highest median age on 1 July (US county estimates) of 100 counties in 2016, at 53.4 years. Onslow County had the lowest, at 27.1 years. The median was 43 years. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest53.4Clay County
Lowest27.1Onslow County
Median43100 counties

Map of counties, 2016

Alamance County: 39.4 yearsAlexander County: 43.7 yearsAlleghany County: 49.4 yearsAnson County: 42.3 yearsAshe County: 48.3 yearsAvery County: 44.8 yearsBeaufort County: 46.5 yearsBertie County: 45.9 yearsBladen County: 43.8 yearsBrunswick County: 53 yearsBuncombe County: 41.6 yearsBurke County: 43.6 yearsCabarrus County: 37.6 yearsCaldwell County: 44.3 yearsCamden County: 41.4 yearsCarteret County: 48.3 yearsCaswell County: 46.4 yearsCatawba County: 42.1 yearsChatham County: 46.6 yearsCherokee County: 50.9 yearsChowan County: 47.5 yearsClay County: 53.4 yearsCleveland County: 42.4 yearsColumbus County: 42.4 yearsCraven County: 38.4 yearsCumberland County: 32.1 yearsCurrituck County: 43.4 yearsDare County: 47.4 yearsDavidson County: 42.8 yearsDavie County: 45.3 yearsDuplin County: 40.1 yearsDurham County: 34.6 yearsEdgecombe County: 42 yearsForsyth County: 38.3 yearsFranklin County: 41.3 yearsGaston County: 40.6 yearsGates County: 45.4 yearsGraham County: 45.7 yearsGranville County: 42 yearsGreene County: 40.9 yearsGuilford County: 37.1 yearsHalifax County: 44.7 yearsHarnett County: 33.9 yearsHaywood County: 47.9 yearsHenderson County: 46.9 yearsHertford County: 41.7 yearsHoke County: 32.5 yearsHyde County: 45.1 yearsIredell County: 40.8 yearsJackson County: 35.8 yearsJohnston County: 37.9 yearsJones County: 47.5 yearsLee County: 39.2 yearsLenoir County: 42.7 yearsLincoln County: 43.3 yearsMcDowell County: 44 yearsMacon County: 49.8 yearsMadison County: 44.6 yearsMartin County: 46.6 yearsMecklenburg County: 34.7 yearsMitchell County: 48.3 yearsMontgomery County: 43.1 yearsMoore County: 44.9 yearsNash County: 42.4 yearsNew Hanover County: 38.7 yearsNorthampton County: 49.6 yearsOnslow County: 27.1 yearsOrange County: 34.1 yearsPamlico County: 52.7 yearsPasquotank County: 39.2 yearsPender County: 42.8 yearsPerquimans County: 49.2 yearsPerson County: 44.1 yearsPitt County: 33.4 yearsPolk County: 52.4 yearsRandolph County: 41.8 yearsRichmond County: 41.1 yearsRobeson County: 36.8 yearsRockingham County: 44.9 yearsRowan County: 40.9 yearsRutherford County: 44.8 yearsSampson County: 40.2 yearsScotland County: 40.9 yearsStanly County: 42.7 yearsStokes County: 46 yearsSurry County: 43.9 yearsSwain County: 42.4 yearsTransylvania County: 50.3 yearsTyrrell County: 44.2 yearsUnion County: 37.9 yearsVance County: 41.6 yearsWake County: 35.7 yearsWarren County: 48.3 yearsWashington County: 48 yearsWatauga County: 28.3 yearsWayne County: 38.4 yearsWilkes County: 44.7 yearsWilson County: 41.2 yearsYadkin County: 44.1 yearsYancey County: 47.5 years
  • Under 38
  • 38 to 41
  • 41 to 43
  • 43 to 45
  • 45 to 48
  • 48 and over
years, 2016. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: median age (MEDIAN_AGE_TOT) on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2016

Clay County: 53.4 yearsClay County53.4Brunswick County: 53 yearsBrunswick County53Pamlico County: 52.7 yearsPamlico County52.7Polk County: 52.4 yearsPolk County52.4Cherokee County: 50.9 yearsCherokee County50.9Transylvania County: 50.3 yearsTransylvania County50.3Macon County: 49.8 yearsMacon County49.8Northampton County: 49.6 yearsNorthampton County49.6Alleghany County: 49.4 yearsAlleghany County49.4Perquimans County: 49.2 yearsPerquimans County49.2Ashe County: 48.3 yearsAshe County48.3Carteret County: 48.3 yearsCarteret County48.3Mitchell County: 48.3 yearsMitchell County48.3Warren County: 48.3 yearsWarren County48.3Washington County: 48 yearsWashington County48Haywood County: 47.9 yearsHaywood County47.9Chowan County: 47.5 yearsChowan County47.5Jones County: 47.5 yearsJones County47.5Yancey County: 47.5 yearsYancey County47.5Dare County: 47.4 yearsDare County47.4Henderson County: 46.9 yearsHenderson County46.9Chatham County: 46.6 yearsChatham County46.6Martin County: 46.6 yearsMartin County46.6Beaufort County: 46.5 yearsBeaufort County46.5Caswell County: 46.4 yearsCaswell County46.4Stokes County: 46 yearsStokes County46Bertie County: 45.9 yearsBertie County45.9Graham County: 45.7 yearsGraham County45.7Gates County: 45.4 yearsGates County45.4Davie County: 45.3 yearsDavie County45.3Hyde County: 45.1 yearsHyde County45.1Moore County: 44.9 yearsMoore County44.9Rockingham County: 44.9 yearsRockingham County44.9Avery County: 44.8 yearsAvery County44.8Rutherford County: 44.8 yearsRutherford County44.8Halifax County: 44.7 yearsHalifax County44.7Wilkes County: 44.7 yearsWilkes County44.7Madison County: 44.6 yearsMadison County44.6Caldwell County: 44.3 yearsCaldwell County44.3Tyrrell County: 44.2 yearsTyrrell County44.2Clay County: 53.4 yearsClay County53.4Brunswick County: 53 yearsBrunswick County53Pamlico County: 52.7 yearsPamlico County52.7Polk County: 52.4 yearsPolk County52.4Cherokee County: 50.9 yearsCherokee County50.9Transylvania County: 50.3 yearsTransylvania County50.3Macon County: 49.8 yearsMacon County49.8Northampton County: 49.6 yearsNorthampton County49.6Alleghany County: 49.4 yearsAlleghany County49.4Perquimans County: 49.2 yearsPerquimans County49.2Ashe County: 48.3 yearsAshe County48.3Carteret County: 48.3 yearsCarteret County48.3Mitchell County: 48.3 yearsMitchell County48.3Warren County: 48.3 yearsWarren County48.3Washington County: 48 yearsWashington County48Haywood County: 47.9 yearsHaywood County47.9Chowan County: 47.5 yearsChowan County47.5Jones County: 47.5 yearsJones County47.5Yancey County: 47.5 yearsYancey County47.5Dare County: 47.4 yearsDare County47.4Henderson County: 46.9 yearsHenderson County46.9Chatham County: 46.6 yearsChatham County46.6Martin County: 46.6 yearsMartin County46.6Beaufort County: 46.5 yearsBeaufort County46.5Caswell County: 46.4 yearsCaswell County46.4Stokes County: 46 yearsStokes County46Bertie County: 45.9 yearsBertie County45.9Graham County: 45.7 yearsGraham County45.7Gates County: 45.4 yearsGates County45.4Davie County: 45.3 yearsDavie County45.3Hyde County: 45.1 yearsHyde County45.1Moore County: 44.9 yearsMoore County44.9Rockingham County: 44.9 yearsRockingham County44.9Avery County: 44.8 yearsAvery County44.8Rutherford County: 44.8 yearsRutherford County44.8Halifax County: 44.7 yearsHalifax County44.7Wilkes County: 44.7 yearsWilkes County44.7Madison County: 44.6 yearsMadison County44.6Caldwell County: 44.3 yearsCaldwell County44.3Tyrrell County: 44.2 yearsTyrrell County44.2
years. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: median age (MEDIAN_AGE_TOT) on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2016
years
Change on 2015
1Clay County53.4+0.5
2Brunswick County53+1.2
3Pamlico County52.7+0.4
4Polk County52.4+0.6
5Cherokee County50.9+0.1
6Transylvania County50.3+0.1
7Macon County49.8+0.2
8Northampton County49.6+0.6
9Alleghany County49.4+0.2
10Perquimans County49.2+0.2
11Ashe County48.3+0.6
11Carteret County48.3+0.6
11Mitchell County48.30
11Warren County48.3+0.5
15Washington County48+0.8
16Haywood County47.9+0.2
17Chowan County47.5+0.4
17Jones County47.5+1
17Yancey County47.5+0.2
20Dare County47.4+0.7
21Henderson County46.9+0.2
22Chatham County46.6+0.3
22Martin County46.6+0.4
24Beaufort County46.5+0.4
25Caswell County46.4+0.3
26Stokes County46+0.5
27Bertie County45.9+1.3
28Graham County45.7+0.2
29Gates County45.4+0.2
30Davie County45.3+0.3
31Hyde County45.1+0.5
32Moore County44.90
32Rockingham County44.9+0.4
34Avery County44.8+0.3
34Rutherford County44.8+0.3
36Halifax County44.7+0.6
36Wilkes County44.7+0.2
38Madison County44.60
39Caldwell County44.3+0.3
40Tyrrell County44.2+0.5
41Person County44.1+0.5
41Yadkin County44.1+0.2
43McDowell County44+0.4
44Surry County43.9+0.3
45Bladen County43.8+0.5
46Alexander County43.7+0.2
47Burke County43.6+0.2
48Currituck County43.40
49Lincoln County43.3+0.4
50Montgomery County43.1+0.5
51Davidson County42.8+0.2
51Pender County42.8+0.3
53Lenoir County42.7+0.3
53Stanly County42.7+0.2
55Cleveland County42.4+0.1
55Columbus County42.4+0.5
55Nash County42.4+0.2
55Swain County42.4+0.2
59Anson County42.3+0.5
60Catawba County42.1+0.3
61Edgecombe County42+0.1
61Granville County42+0.2
63Randolph County41.8+0.2
64Hertford County41.70
65Buncombe County41.6+0.1
65Vance County41.6+0.2
67Camden County41.4-0.2
68Franklin County41.3+0.4
69Wilson County41.2+0.4
70Richmond County41.1+0.5
71Greene County40.9+0.3
71Rowan County40.90
71Scotland County40.9+0.2
74Iredell County40.8+0.2
75Gaston County40.60
76Sampson County40.2+0.4
77Duplin County40.1+0.1
78Alamance County39.4-0.3
79Lee County39.2+0.4
79Pasquotank County39.2+0.6
81New Hanover County38.7+0.1
82Craven County38.4+0.7
82Wayne County38.4+0.3
84Forsyth County38.30
85Johnston County37.9+0.1
85Union County37.9+0.2
87Cabarrus County37.60
88Guilford County37.1-0.1
89Robeson County36.8+0.5
90Jackson County35.8-0.8
91Wake County35.7+0.2
92Mecklenburg County34.70
93Durham County34.60
94Orange County34.10
95Harnett County33.9+0.2
96Pitt County33.4+0.6
97Hoke County32.5+0.5
98Cumberland County32.1+0.3
99Watauga County28.3-0.1
100Onslow County27.1+0.5

Other periods

About this ranking

Age that divides the resident population of a US county into two halves of equal size on 1 July, from Census Bureau population estimates calculated by single year of age.

Counties only: the county file has no state or national medians, and medians cannot be added up. A single-year estimate, unlike median_age, which for US places is a five-year American Community Survey estimate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: median age (MEDIAN_AGE_TOT) on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: median age (MEDIAN_AGE_TOT) on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage (Counties in North Carolina by median age on 1 July (US county estimates), 2016) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html

MLA 9

Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: median age (MEDIAN_AGE_TOT) on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage, Counties in North Carolina by median age on 1 July (US county estimates), 2016. U.S. Census Bureau, 25 June 2026, https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/median-age-july-1-us-counties/north-carolina-counties?period=2016. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: median age (MEDIAN_AGE_TOT) on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage. Counties in North Carolina by median age on 1 July (US county estimates), 2016. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/median-age-july-1-us-counties/north-carolina-counties?period=2016.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: median age (MEDIAN_AGE_TOT) on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage, Counties in North Carolina by median age on 1 July (US county estimates), 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/median-age-july-1-us-counties/north-carolina-counties?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2016,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: median age (MEDIAN\_AGE\_TOT) on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage: Counties in North Carolina by median age on 1 July (US county estimates), 2016}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/median-age-july-1-us-counties/north-carolina-counties?period=2016. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: median age (MEDIAN\_AGE\_TOT) on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: median age (MEDIAN_AGE_TOT) on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage: Counties in North Carolina by median age on 1 July (US county estimates), 2016
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/06/25
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/median-age-july-1-us-counties/north-carolina-counties?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/median-age-july-1-us-counties/north-carolina-counties?period=2016.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: median age (MEDIAN_AGE_TOT) on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest median age on 1 July (US county estimates)?

Clay County, with 53.4 years in 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest median age on 1 July (US county estimates)?

Onslow County, with 27.1 years in 2016.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: median age (MEDIAN_AGE_TOT) on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Median age on 1 July (US county estimates): other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings