New Bern receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
New Bern
Havelock
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 31%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Growth
59 · Top 34%
vs8 · Bottom 1%
Climate
75 · Top 29%
vs75 · Top 27%
Physical resilience
17 · Bottom 11%
vs18 · Bottom 12%
Housing affordability
82 · Top 48%
vs75 · Bottom 41%
Schools
40 · Bottom 35%
vs51 · Bottom 49%
Access
79 · Bottom 21%
vs69 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 16%
vs61 · Top 49%
Measured values
| Metric | New Bern | Havelock | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,734 | 17,691 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,031 | $58,408 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,196 | $29,099 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,141/sq mi | 1,035/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $240,100 | $207,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,081 | $1,280 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.7% | 41.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.0% | -3.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.4% | 18.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.3% | 14.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 258 | 2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.9 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -22.8% | -50.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.0" | 57.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 34 mi | 50 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 19.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.9 | 24.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.19 | 17.21 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 34.7% | 39.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 44.9% | 48.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 75.0% | 62.8% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
New Bern
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Havelock
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: New Bern, NC · Havelock, NC · How this is calculated: methodology