Old North News

North Carolina's population leaned heavily towards the 25 to 29 years demographic, according to U.S. Census Bureau data obtained by Old North News.

There were 701,087 individuals or 6.8% of the population falling within this age bracket.

The state registered a median age of 39, outpacing the national average of 38 in 2021.

Data also showed that women had a longer life expectancy than men, with 1.1% of women population over the age of 84 in comparison to 0.6% of men. To provide a broader perspective, the U.S. recorded 1.2% of women in the same age bracket nationwide.

According to the 2021 census, the median age varied across different ethnicities in the state. The average white resident in North Carolina is 43 years old, while African Americans have a median age of 36 years old. The Asian population averages 35 years old, and Hispanics had an average of 25 years old.

North Carolina's total population stood at 10,367,022 individuals in 2021.

OurWorldinData.org, an online project tracking global data and trends, says cities, states, countries and continents with higher median ages typically do better economically and residents earn higher wages than developing countries.

The median age of a United States resident has risen from 29.5-years-old in 1960 to 38.4-years-old in 2019. It has risen fairly consistently by two years every decade since the 1970’s.

An agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, the Census Bureau is responsible for compiling statistical facts about the American people, places and economy. Data for this story was compiled from the bureau’s American Community Survey. Information from the survey helps to determine how federal and state funds are distributed. These funds significantly influence community services, education, and infrastructure in areas like North Carolina.

Age	Estimated Number	% of Overall Population
Under 5 years	594,004	5.7%
5 to 9 years	627,382	6.1%
10 to 14 years	675,846	6.5%
15 to 17 years	405,083	3.9%
18 and 19 years	293,344	2.8%
20 years	147,017	1.4%
21 years	139,660	1.3%
22 to 24 years	399,810	3.9%
25 to 29 years	701,087	6.8%
30 to 34 years	674,914	6.5%
35 to 39 years	656,413	6.3%
40 to 44 years	654,585	6.3%
45 to 49 years	679,250	6.6%
50 to 54 years	682,224	6.6%
55 to 59 years	690,624	6.7%
60 and 61 years	274,458	2.6%
62 to 64 years	385,086	3.7%
65 and 66 years	240,025	2.3%
67 to 69 years	327,793	3.2%
70 to 74 years	462,907	4.5%
75 to 79 years	292,612	2.8%
80 to 84 years	181,589	1.8%
85 years and over	181,309	1.7%

Source: US Census Bureau