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Living in
Henderson.
About
Life in Henderson
Living in Henderson means settling into a small, affordable North Carolina city where your money actually stretches—median rent sits around $848 a month and homes average $123,800, which is genuinely low by today's standards. It's a community of about 15,000 people with deep roots; the median age is nearly 40, and you'll find a stable, established population rather than transient newcomers. The job market is modest but steady, with unemployment around 4.4%, though many residents commute to larger employment hubs via Interstate 85 or U.S. 1—your average commute runs about 22 minutes.
Henderson at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
27.3%
Foreign-Born
6.7%
Broadband Internet
81.1%
of households
Population Growth
-0.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics6.7% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Henderson: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Henderson, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (41.0%), and 6.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.7%
of residents
65 and Older
18.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
33.9%
of households
Married Couples
22.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.34
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 31% below NC average
Rent, home values, and income in Henderson
In Henderson, rent runs 31% below the NC average, and home values are 57% below the NC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
49.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
26.2%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,340
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
38.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1968
median year built
Vacant Homes
15.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $177,282 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.8 pts above NC average
Unemployment in Henderson
Unemployment in Vance County, which includes Henderson, is 0.8 percentage points higher than the NC average.
Unemployment rate
Henderson: Vance County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Vance County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Henderson Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute20.8 min avg
How Henderson residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Henderson, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 76% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 38 mi
Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)
Medium hub7.7M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 221% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Henderson runs 221% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
1,058
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
4,903.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Henderson Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 11 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
48.4 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Vance County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Vance County, which includes Henderson, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 11 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $63,000 |
| 2024 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $578,000 |
| 2023 | 3 | Thunderstorm Wind | $30,000 |
| 2022 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $25,000 |
| 2021 | 4 | Winter Storm | $120,000 |
| 2020 | 7 | Strong Wind | $1.1M |
| 2019 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $15,000 |
| 2018 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $530,500 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Vance County, county-wide
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Granville County, NC (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 14 miles from Henderson) is typically good — 222 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
39
Good Days
222
per year
Moderate Days
16
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Granville County, NC (14 mi away)
Climate88°F summers, 27°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Henderson has warm summers (avg high 88°F) and cold winters (avg low 27°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
71°/43°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
88°/65°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
72°/46°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
53°/27°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
48.6"
Annual Snowfall
1.6"
Hot Days/Year
43
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
106
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
107
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51°F | 26°F | 3.67" |
| Feb | 54°F | 27°F | 3.11" |
| Mar | 62°F | 34°F | 4.17" |
| Apr | 73°F | 43°F | 3.86" |
| May | 79°F | 53°F | 3.90" |
| Jun | 87°F | 62°F | 4.48" |
| Jul | 90°F | 67°F | 4.43" |
| Aug | 88°F | 65°F | 5.13" |
| Sep | 82°F | 58°F | 4.78" |
| Oct | 72°F | 45°F | 3.57" |
| Nov | 62°F | 34°F | 3.64" |
| Dec | 54°F | 29°F | 3.89" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Henderson
Henderson has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
13.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Maria Parham Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Granville Health Systems
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10 mi away · Oxford
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Henderson
Henderson's student/teacher ratio is 15.3:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 15.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
15.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, 76 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Henderson
Henderson has 5 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Appomattox Court House National Historical Park (76 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Appomattox Court House National Historical Park
National Historical Park
76 mi awayPetersburg National Battlefield
National Battlefield
79 mi awayGuilford Courthouse National Military Park
National Military Park
81 mi awayBooker T Washington National Monument
National Monument
91 mi awayMaggie L Walker National Historic Site
National Historic Site
100 mi awayPublic Libraries in Henderson
Perry Memorial Library
205 Breckenridge St, Henderson
Cities Near Henderson
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Henderson?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Henderson FAQ
Is Henderson, North Carolina affordable?⌄
Henderson's median rent is $848/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $39,969/year. Median home value is $123,800.
Is Henderson, North Carolina safe?⌄
Henderson's violent crime rate was 1058 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 4903 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Henderson, North Carolina?⌄
Vance County, which includes Henderson, has an unemployment rate of 4.6%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Henderson, North Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Henderson is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $848/month and median household income is $39,969/year. The median home value is $123,800. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Henderson, North Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Henderson is 21 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from