Small-town market profile · North Carolina
Elizabeth City, NC area market data
How the Elizabeth City area compares with other small-town markets for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 42,201
- +4.5% since 2020
- Households
- 15,785
- Median household income
- $66,589
- Median home value
- $234,600
- Jobs located here
- 15,323
- Highest market score
- 75
- Veterinarians, #33 of 398 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Elizabeth City area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Elizabeth City area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
The Elizabeth City area has an estimated 42,201 people and 15,785 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of the Elizabeth City area grew 4.5%, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in the Elizabeth City area is $66,589, 18% below the U.S. median of $80,734.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Elizabeth City area runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 136, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (62).
Of the business types scored in the Elizabeth City area, veterinarians (75), insurance agencies (74) and grocery and convenience stores (68) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For veterinarians, that ranks #33 of 398 scored small-town markets.
The Elizabeth City area is made up of one county, Pasquotank County. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for pet grooming and boarding businesses (2.8 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for spas and skin care studios (45% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Elizabeth City area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Elizabeth City area with other small-town markets for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among small-town markets | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veterinarians | 75 | #33 of 398 | 6 | 3.8 | $2.1M | 79 | 3 |
| Insurance agencies | 74 | #77 of 537 | 24 | 15.2 | $1.8M | 140 | 15 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 68 | #103 of 538 | 33 | 20.9 | $2.7M | 81 | 8 |
| Electricians | 66 | #53 of 295 | 6 | 3.8 | $7M | 58 | 6 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 65 | #100 of 507 | 11 | 7.0 | $4.9M | 119 | 7 |
| Roofing and gutters | 62 | #75 of 288 | 6 | 3.8 | $7M | 82 | Under 3 |
| Home repair trades | 61 | #131 of 526 | 23 | 14.6 | $1.8M | 75 | 18 |
| Spas and skin care | 61 | #137 of 504 | 10 | 6.3 | $1.3M | 149 | Under 3 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 60 | #121 of 399 | 15 | 9.5 | $1.4M | 49 | 6 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 60 | #144 of 476 | 11 | 7.0 | $3.8M | 80 | 12 |
| Convenience stores | 60 | #183 of 529 | 17 | 10.8 | $5.3M | 68 | Under 3 |
| Gas stations | 58 | #187 of 536 | 28 | 17.7 | $1.8M | 74 | 26 |
| Real estate | 55 | #202 of 536 | 52 | 32.9 | Index only | 99 | 9 |
| Chiropractors | 53 | #190 of 426 | 7 | 4.4 | $2.3M | 97 | 5 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 53 | #228 of 533 | 44 | 27.9 | Index only | 93 | 6 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 52 | #192 of 400 | 6 | 3.8 | $2.7M | 86 | Under 3 |
| Tire shops | 52 | #204 of 431 | 9 | 5.7 | $1.7M | 67 | 3 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 51 | #278 of 535 | 18 | 11.4 | $535K | 81 | 4 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 50 | #238 of 481 | 19 | 12.0 | $1.1M | 67 | 20 |
| Grocery stores | 49 | #278 of 506 | 14 | 8.9 | $6.5M | 70 | 7 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 48 | #291 of 529 | 20 | 12.7 | $2.7M | 73 | 7 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 45 | #237 of 387 | 7 | 4.4 | $2.2M | 70 | Under 3 |
| Gyms | 45 | #314 of 506 | 11 | 7.0 | $876K | 67 | 4 |
| Auto repair shops | 45 | #338 of 538 | 57 | 36.1 | $264K | 59 | 14 |
| Child care and preschools | 44 | #285 of 454 | 10 | 6.3 | $598K | 60 | 12 |
| Pizza | 44 | #317 of 520 | 15 | 9.5 | $3.6M | 71 | 38 |
| Pet stores | 43 | #144 of 220 | 5 | 3.2 | $2.6M | 57 | 4 |
| Funeral homes | 43 | #223 of 365 | 8 | 5.1 | $288K | 42 | Under 3 |
| Barbershops | 43 | #239 of 377 | 9 | 5.7 | $1.4M | 77 | Under 3 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 43 | #332 of 536 | 36 | 22.8 | $757K | 86 | 16 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 43 | #333 of 536 | 27 | 17.1 | $1M | 79 | 16 |
| Car washes and detailing | 41 | #296 of 441 | 8 | 5.1 | $1.9M | 75 | 5 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 41 | #364 of 538 | 89 | 56.4 | $609K | 92 | 39 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 41 | #367 of 538 | 168 | 106.4 | $323K | 87 | 84 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 40 | #260 of 378 | 7 | 4.4 | $1.4M | 68 | Under 3 |
| Physical therapy | 40 | #280 of 400 | 13 | 8.2 | $1.2M | 52 | 5 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 40 | #365 of 526 | 17 | 10.8 | $954K | 97 | 12 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 39 | #280 of 387 | 16 | 10.1 | $802K | 32 | 4 |
| Auto repair and car care | 39 | #391 of 538 | 86 | 54.5 | $175K | 65 | 26 |
| Pet businesses | 38 | #407 of 527 | 30 | 19.0 | $428K | 49 | 11 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 37 | #334 of 458 | 11 | 7.0 | $1.5M | 83 | 49 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 35 | #412 of 537 | 29 | 18.4 | $1.9M | 61 | 38 |
| Hair salons | 35 | #441 of 538 | 53 | 33.6 | $245K | 57 | 7 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 35 | #450 of 538 | 92 | 58.3 | $141K | 66 | 11 |
| Nail salons | 32 | #318 of 387 | 19 | 12.0 | $685K | 41 | Under 3 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 26 | #477 of 538 | 159 | 100.7 | $102K | 67 | 71 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.5 | $6.8M | 54 | Under 3 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.5 | Index only | 101 | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.9 | Index only | 191 | Under 3 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.3 | $10.8M | Too few | 9 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.3 | $10.8M | Too few | 5 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.6 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.6 | $15.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.6 | $16.2M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 4 |
Household spending in the Elizabeth City area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $15.1M | $954 | 100 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $49.1M | $3,111 | 120 |
| Food away from home | $54.2M | $3,434 | 84 |
| Groceries | $90.5M | $5,732 | 91 |
| Personal care products and services | $13M | $824 | 82 |
| Child care and other personal services | $6M | $379 | 65 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $9.6M | $610 | 62 |
| Medical and dental services | $16.2M | $1,028 | 80 |
| Pets | $12.8M | $813 | 89 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $27.3M | $1,727 | 84 |
| Vehicle insurance | $42M | $2,664 | 136 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $41.8M | $2,649 | 88 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $21.5M | $1,364 | 96 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $223.6M | $14,164 | 85 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Elizabeth City area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 42,201+4.5% since 2020
- Households
- 15,785
- Median age
- 41.0
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 67%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.0
- Land area
- 227 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 180
- Median household income
- $66,589
- Average household income
- $85,046
- Median home value
- $234,600
- Jobs located here
- 15,323
- Daytime population
- 38,788Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Elizabeth City area?
These figures cover the whole small-town market. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Elizabeth City area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Elizabeth City area 1
- Pasquotank County, NC40,834 people
Other markets based in North Carolina 12
- Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area2,768,407 people
- Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area1,487,302 people
- Greensboro-High Point, NC metro area786,419 people
- Winston-Salem, NC metro area689,766 people
- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area601,724 people
- Wilmington, NC metro area453,347 people
- Asheville, NC metro area414,711 people
- Fayetteville, NC metro area392,380 people
- Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area368,316 people
- Jacksonville, NC metro area207,906 people
- Greenville, NC metro area177,193 people
- Burlington, NC metro area176,893 people
Questions
How fast is the Elizabeth City, NC area growing?
Population estimates put the Elizabeth City area at 42,201 people in 2025, up 4.5% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 15,785 households.
How much do households in the Elizabeth City, NC area spend?
Households in the Elizabeth City area spend about $223.6M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $90.5M on groceries and $54.2M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in the Elizabeth City area spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 136, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (62).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Elizabeth City, NC area?
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Elizabeth City area are for veterinarians (75), insurance agencies (74) and grocery and convenience stores (68). The Elizabeth City area ranks #33 of 398 scored small-town markets for veterinarians.
How does the Elizabeth City, NC area compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in the Elizabeth City area is $66,589 a year, 18% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 4.5% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $234,600, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, the Elizabeth City area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for pet grooming and boarding businesses (2.8 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for spas and skin care studios (45% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. A small-town market is a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people and the county or counties tied to it by commuting. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 46 of the 56 business types have a score in the Elizabeth City area, each ranked against other small-town markets.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Elizabeth City area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in North Carolina · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in the Elizabeth City area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Elizabeth City area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.