Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutLand Use Plan Update Population Study-1992 Population Study of New -HanoverCounty = September=1992 -NewVHanover County Plannmg'Department _ = DexterHayes Director Patrick Lowe; Assistant Director . _ Staff Planners _ = Walter' Pete" --Avery . =Wanda Coston = Sam Burgess - - Chris O'Keefe CAMA°Intern D. Dylan Lee, - Janet Lawson Michael Hermann Administrative. Secretary 21 - Phoebe Saavedra Graphus Plannmg4Technician Lisa Elaine Horne New Hanover;County Board of Commissioners `E. L. "Matt" Mathews, Chairman RobertG._Greer, Vice Chairman' - - _ Jonathan Barfield ' ° Fred Retchm `William H. Sutton Planning -Board Members :Eatnest Punkas,=Chairman - = Kenneth A. Shankl in, :Vice Chairman Robert -McDonald Wesley.O Nixon ". _ ` William Grathwol - _ ' C Ricliard Boesky _ Charles'R. Howell 7. -Y The prcpacatiea of tali document was fmanced, in pact. through a Costal Area Wfaoagemeat Act by the North carol- coatal Mamg-- Progmm. thcwgh Fuada ' grmt provided p+a+ded the Coastal Zeae Mzaagcmeat Ad of 1972, as amended, is admmisteied by the Office by z _ x ofOceaaaadComWRewumMwagemeat Nate Oceanic and AtmosphericAdminatnhao.`'= - Population Study of New Hanover County September 1992 Wilmington - New Hanover County Land Use Plan Update C Preface The Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA), enacted in 1974 by the North Carolina General Assembly, requires that the 20 coastal counties of the state prepare land use plans. These plans provide a framework used to guide local leaders as they make decisions for the protection, preservation, orderly development and management of the North Carolina coastal area. The original CAMA Land Use Plan for New Hanover County was adopted in 1976. Updates to the plan are required by CAMA on five year intervals This report is part of the third plan update (1981, 1986 and 1991) performed in conjunction with the Wilmington -New Hanover Comprehensive Planning Program, initiated in 1974. In accordancewithCAMArequirements, the land useplan consists ofthefollowing elements: 1.) Summary of data collection and analysis; 2.) Existing land use map; 3.) Policy discussion;. 4.) Land classification map. This information plays an important role in the formulation of local development regulations, such as zoning ordinances, and it provides input for growth policy decisions. These reports also provide useful data to the public and private sector in considering development proposals. W 10] TABLE OF CONTENTS I. SUMMARY............................................................................... 1 Past Growth Trends.................................................................. 1 Population Composition............................................................ 2 PopulationProjections.............................................................. 2 Sub-areaTrends...................................................................... 2 Housing................................................................................ 3 Income................................................................................. 3 Education.............................................................................. 3 Tourism................................................................................ 3 Decennial Census Information..................................................... 4 II. POPULATION............................................................................ 4 County Growth Trends....................................................:......... 4 A. Projections............................................................................ 8 Overview.......................................................................... 8 B. Population Characteristics.......................................................... 9 AgeStructure.................................................................... 9 Growth Analysis.................................................................12 C. Sub -area Trends......................................................................13 III. HOUSING.................................................................................14 IV. INCOME...................................................................................17 V. EDUCATION.............................................................................18 VI. TOURISM.................................................................................19 VII. CONCLUSION...........................................................................20 LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1 New Hanover County Census Counts. and Projections 1930 to 2020 ...................... 4 TABLE 2 Increases and Average Annual Growth Rates .................................................. 5 TABLE 3 State, Region and County Population........................................................... 6 TABLE 4 Average Annual Growth Rates................................................................... 6 TABLE 5 Population Change in New Hanover County Due to Migration ............................. 8 TABLE 6 Projected Median Age in New Hanover County ............................................... I I TABLE 7 Trends in Age Distribution 1970 - 2020........................................................12 TABLE 8 New Hanover County Population by Race and Sex...........................................13 TABLE 9 Sub -region Data - Population by Municipality .................................................14 TABLE 10 HouseholdSize......................................................................................14 TABLE 11 Housing by Tenure...........:......................................................................16 TABLE 12 Per Capita Income..................................................................................17 TABLE 13 Median Household Income........................................................................17 TABLE 14 Educational Attainment of People 25 and Older...............................................18 TABLE 15 Annual Visitation to New Hanover County ....................................................19 U LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 1 Total Population for New Hanover County and Absolute Increase for Each Decade .... 5 FIGURE 2 Region "0" and New Hanover County Population Projections ............................. 7 FIGURE 3 Population Pyramids (1980 - 2020)........................................................... 9,10 FIGURE 4 Trends in Me Distribution (1970 - 2020)......................................................12 FIGURE 5 Population and Housing, Wilmington and New Hanover County ..........................15 FIGURE 6 Percentage of People Below the Poverty Level 1979 - 1989................................18 FIGURE 7 Percentage of High School Graduates...........................................................19 K Ee '-Region "O"consists of New Hanover, Pender, Brunswick, and Columbus Counties. The United States Census defines an urban rea as an area with 1000 or more people per square mile.. Population Study of New Hanover County I. SUMMARY Past Growth rends The population of New Hanover County grew from 103,471 in 1980 to 120,284 in 1990. This population increase, however, marked the first deceleration in growth rate that the County has experienced since the 1960 census. Despite the decline, the County's annual growth rate of 1.5% continued to be above that of the State's 1.2%. Thus, New Hanover County's share of the State's population continues to increase. Region "0"1 also had an increasing growth rate during the 1980's. The Region's average annual growth rate was 1.6%, which is higher than the growth rates of both the State and County. New Hanover County's percentage of the Region's population has remained steady with no net change occurring in the region since 1970. In -migration has been responsible for the majority of New Hanover County's growth. In the past decade 11,579 new residents moved to the County, accounting for 69 % of the increase in population. The rest of the County's growth, 5,234 residents, can be attributed to natural increase. Presently, New Hanover is the eleventh most populous County in the State. Additionally, the County's large population is confined to a limited amount of land (the County is the second smallest in the state in terms of total land area -185 square miles). These two facts combine to make New Hanover County one of the most urban counties in North Carolina with an estimated 1991 population density of 660 persons per square mile. Of the County's 120,284 residents, 106,537 (88.6%)live inanurbanizedarea2. Oftheurban residents, 101,357 were in Wilmington and the contiguous area. Only 13,747 (11.4%) people lived in rural parts of New Hanover County. Population Composition As a principal demographic group, baby -boomers have a definite presence in New Hanover County and are greatly affecting many characteristics of its population. The baby - boom generation, people bom between 1946-1964, is getting older. In the County, one of the baby -boom age groups, people age 35 - 44, grew by over 50%. Other age groups also experiencing large percentage growth include the 65 and older group (45%) and the 45 - 54 age group (22 %). Growth in these populations indicates the increasing percentage of older adults in the County. Not surprisingly, the median age for residents has changed from 30 years in 1980 to over 33 years of age in 1990. This is nearly equivalent to the State's 1990 median age of 33. The County's declining growth rate among children, prevalent during the 1970's, has begun to reverse. The population in the under 5 age group increased by over 10%. This growth can also be attributed to the aging of the baby -boom generation. These people are now young -to -middle age adults in their prime child-bearing years. Population Projections New Hanover County's population is expected to grow by 15,296 during the 1990's, giving it a population of 135,580 by the year 2000. This projection reflects a continuance of the deceleration in population growth. The Region "O" area and the State also expect decelerating growth rates through 2020. The age of the average New Hanover County resident is projected to increase in the 1990's and on into the twenty-first century. The median age of a resident is expected to rise from 33.8 in 1990 to 41.5 in the year 2020. As the adult population ages past the child-bearing years, growth by natural means will diminish. Therefore, the projected additions to the County populations will become more dependent on in -migration. Current projections support this, with a fairly constant number of in -migrations being responsible for the majority of the County's population growth. Sub -area Vends During the 1980's, the percentage of New Hanover County's total population residing in incorporated areas increased by 4.3%. Two annexations took place in 1984 and 1985 which helped to bolster Wilmington's percentage of the County's population by 3.7%. Wilmington's share ofthe population rose from 42.5 % in 1980to46.2% in 1990. Atthesame time, Carolina Beach grew by 1.1 %, increasing its share of the County's population from 1.9 % to 3.0 %. The trend was not reflected in Wrightsville and Kure Beaches where a slight decrease in their portion of New Hanover's overall population occurred'. K X -' The Town of O Wrightsville Beach disputes the 1990 U. S. Census countsfor the area. KJ Q Housing A rise of 13,757 housing units accompanied the increase in the County's population which occurred in the 1980's. The total number of housing units in New Hanover County increased by 24.1 %, from 43,319 units in 1980 to 57,076 units in 1990. Much of the increase can be accounted for by the continued popularity of single-family housing construction. The demand for new houses seemed to be the strongest in the coastal and estuarine areas of the County, where a majority of construction occurred. During the same period of time, vacancies increased by almost 2%, indicating that construction of new houses out -paced the demand created by population growth. The percentage of vacant homes in New Hanover County rose to 15.7 %, afar higher figure than the national average of 10.1 %. Although overbuilding contributes to the County's vacancy rate, many of the vacancies in the County are the result of seasonal residencies. Income QNew Hanover County residents, as awhole, improved their income standing during the 1980's. In the past decade, the County's per capita income figure ($13,863) remained above state ($12,885) and national ($12,979) levels. The median household income also fared well in comparison to North Carolina and the United States. At the same time the poverty rate in the County dropped from 15.2 % to 14.0 %. Education New Hanover County is improving its educational status. The percentage of people 25 years or older who have a high school degree has risen from 45.5% in 1970to78.1 % in 1990. The 1990 figures showed that the County had a higher percentage of high school graduates than the United States. Tourism Tourism provides for short term boosts to the County's population. The area's tourist attractions combined with the amenities of the coastal environment have made this region Qa popular tourist destination. It was estimated thatvisitation to the County between June 1990 and May 1991 was 1,328,000. Decennial Census Information Every ten years the federal government takes a census of the nation's population. Census information ranges from population and housing counts to social characteristics such as ancestry, tenure and number of vehicles owned. The first U.S. census was taken in 1790 when Thomas Jefferson supervised the country's enumeration. Decennial census data consists of two components: the 100-Percent Component, which is comprised of population and housing information on each and every household; and, the Sample Component, which consists of more detailed information from a smaller sample population. The "Population Study of New Hanover County" utilizes available 1990 census data and data from past decennial censuses to analyze changes in size and structure ofthe County's population. In addition to current and past population figures, the study also uses projections developed by the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management, the State Data Center, and the County Planning Department. Generally, data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau is considered to be accurate, however, as in the case of Wrightsville Beach, these figures are sometimes disputed. II. POPULATION County Growth rends Traditionally, New Hanover County has experienced erratic growth in its population. Over the past 50 years, events which took place during World War H produced the County's largest growth rates. After several decades of moderate increases, the growth rate reached a second peak during the 1970's. In this period, increases in industrial and other activities helped to add almost 25,000 residents to the County. During the 1980's, growth continued but at a lesser rate. Table 2 gives annual growth rates for the County. From this table, we see that the growth rate during the 1980's declined slightly from those of the 1970's. Table 1 - New Hanover County Census Counts and Projections 1930 to 2020 Year Population Percent Increase 1930 43,010 1950 63,272 32.0 .....:.: 1970 15.7 a 90 ... 1:8. ...82,996 .. .::.......... ..2........ 199......................................... 120, 16.3 2000,.....:::.. 135,58U.. ......... :`.., 8. .....::............... ...... .. 2010 147,809 9.0 .. ZU20......... ..... ........... 6....::::.:...:>:::::» ........... . > ...... Table 2 located on page 6. EO Source. United States Census 4 K K Table 2 - Increases and Average Annual Growth Rates Absolute Average Annual Year Increase Growth Rate 1930-44 : :: :.. 4,925 :;:...: 109.9 1940-50 15,337 2.81 % t950�0.:> > ....................................................:...:.::..................................:...::................. ..................................................................................................................... :>: ::.......8,470..... .. : ...:. :..... .12G96.... 1960-70 11,254 1.47 % ..:;::: s,475.::,.:::::; ;:.:.:.:.;::.;:.: :...::.:: 223 1980-90 16,813 1.52 ............ 1990-0Q.. ' ?"` ?» 15t2 (r :: > :>» .:...:.:...... 2 ..... 2000-10 12,229 0.87 ..... 2010 :€....:: :.::::.:.:: ::...:1U,617 ...:::.:....:;..:...0 7U`Yo Source: United States Census Figure 1 - Total Population for New Hanover County and Absolute Increase for Each Decade 200,000 49 150,000 0 0 9 c 100,000 0 a. a. 50,000 0 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 Year O 10 Year Increase ® Total Population Q I Population has increased in New Hanover County gradually since 1930. From 1970 to 1980 the County experienced its largest growth period. W Although projections show continued population growth for the County through the year 2020, the growth rates are expected to decline steadily. The State Data Center envisions an aging County population producing fewer babies which, in turn, results in declining growth rates to the year 2020. Comparing the population counts and trends in New Hanover County to those in Region "O" and of North Carolina helps to provide reference points to analyze changes in New Hanover's population. Tables 3 and 4 compare the three regions and include projections through the year 2020. Table 3 - State, Region and County Population Year New Hanover Region "O" North Carolina 1950 : -.. 63272 151,554 4,061,929 1960 71,742 159,502 4,556,155 197Q ;: 82996 172,305 5,082,095 1980 103,471 212,500 5,881,766 1990 120,284 U- 9 7I1------------ 6 628 b37 2000 135,580 285,996 7,399,715 :..:.: 20TQ 14,84916,301 $,Q36,789 2020 158,426 343,269 8,692,652 Source: United States Census Table 4 - Average Annual Growth Rates Year New Hanover Region "O" North Carolina 1950-60 .:..::........ ......................................................................................................... 126 Q,51 >'<':'::s::' . 1 15 ; 1960-70 1.47 0.78 1.10 ':;1970 8Q ;:.::..;:; 223 .::.:.:::..::.. ..:...:..::::::..::.: .................. 1-46 1980-90 1.52 1.62 1.21 1990-00 120 ..:. _ 13T. ;':::; ..:.:.:.: ;'::: 111 2000-10 .....................0.87 .. 1.01 0.83 zoYo-zo oo .. ...:.....::.::... 0 8 >.;'> 0.7 Source: United States Census Tables 3 and 4 located this page. 101 AW 0 U Examining the growth rates for these areas illustrates how dramatically the Regional population has increased since 1970. During the 1950's and 1960's, the increase in the Regional population was well below the growth rates in both New Hanover County and North Carolina. Since 1970, however, increased development in the Region's other attractive coastal areas has caused the population of Region "O" to increase at a faster pace than both New Hanover County and the State. The growth rates for Pender and Brunswick Counties should continue to outpace the rest of the Region and the State for the next several decades. Figure 2 - Region 11011and New Hanover County Population Projections 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 0 100,000 200,000 300,000 Population in Thousands 0 New Hanover County ® Region "O" 400,000 500,000 New Hanover County's share of the State's population continues to rise. In 1950, the County's share of State's population was 1.56%. This percentage has risen steadily since then and in 1990 the County was home to 1.81 % of the State's residents. 7 A. Projections Overview Population projections for New Hanover County are prepared by the Office of State Budget and Management. Population projections provide a basis for evaluating the possibili- ties of future development and for estimating future land use needs. Additionally, these projections provide essential information in planning for the provision of public services such as water, sewer, roads, and park facilities. The cohort -component method is used by the State to project population. This method projects population based on such "cohorts" as age groups, gender, and race. Several "components" (birth, death, and migration rates) are applied to the cohorts to forecast future population counts. Most often, age groups are aged forward for a time increment, in this case 10 years, while death and migration rates are applied to them. In determining the childhood population, women in their child-bearing years (usually age 1 S- 44) have birth rates applied to their age group which provides an estimate for child births. The cohort -component method is useful in many planning functions. It can yield detailed population data in terms of age, sex and race. This information is useful in the planning ofhousing, schools, and otherfacilities aimed at certain segments ofthepopulation. This method does not, however, take into account the area's economic base or carrying capacity which can have a significant impact on the areas potential for growth. Finally, it should be noted thatthe State's projections have historically been accurate and are considered reliable estimates for population change. Table 1 shows the projected population counts for New Hanover County. These projections show steadily declining rates of growth through the year 2020. Within this period, the effects of an aging baby -boom generation will be felt. The number of adults in their prime child bearing years is projected to decrease, thus lowering the birth rate. This "baby -bust "cycle will be characterized by a decrease in natural growth. Thus, the projected population growth in New Hanover County will primarily occur through in -migration to the area. In support of this, estimates show migration increasing its percentage of County growth from 69% in the 1980's to 87% between the years 2010 and 2020. (see Table S) Table 5 - Population Change in New Hanover County Due to Migration - I County Growth By % Growth Due I Year Growth Migration To Migration :goo -so; 4-, 2a,4�s .::.:.:.. . . , . 0 .... % - 15109: 7.... : X ::,. ,3 8%:.....::; 1980-90 16,813 11,573 68.8% ........:. .::;1990-00...?296 9,694.:.:.:::»<,.>'''::6 4%.. 2000-10 12,229 9,512 .::::.:. 77.8% 010 20::..::::::.10 _... _.........................,,.............::;:.::.::..... 6I7 235 >;8T 090 '.`:> Table 1 located page 4. Table S located this page. C U EO Source. North Carolina State Data Center 8 IN B. Population Characteristics Age structure The 1990 Census data indicates that the median age of New Hanover County's residents continues to increase. A combination of factors, including the aging of the baby boom generation and the influx of retired citizens, are responsible for this shift in age structure. The 65 and older age group continued to be one of the fastest growing age groups in the County, while the 35-44 age group experienced the largest percentage gains of all age groups with a 58% increasefrom 1980to 1990. During this same period, there was a decrease of residents age 14 and under. However, this decrease was smaller than that of the 1970's and projections show this age group growing in the 1990's. Figure 3 - Population Pyramids 1980 1990 9 ITIN 2010 2020 Source: North Carolina Office of State Planning LJ J 10 X 01 Figure 4 located page 12. Table 6 - Projected Median Age in New Hanover County Year Age ........................... ........................................... .......................................... ........................................... i 9a _...._...................... ......................................... 276 1980 30.0 199t><> >>`>33` 2000 37.3 ........................... .......................................... .......................................... ........................................... 2020 41.5 44 42 40 38 36 34 32 30 28 26 1970 1990 1990 2000 2010 2020 Source: North Carolina State Data Center The age of the average New Hanover County resident is projected to increase in the 1990's and on into the twenty-first century. The median age of a resident is expected to rise from 33.8 in 1990 to 41.5 in the year 2020. As the adult population outgrows their child- bearing years, natural increases in growth will diminish. This occurrence is displayed in the population pyramids as the percentage of residents in the four and under age bracket drops from about 3.23 % in 1990 to 2.81 % in 2020. As shown in figure 4, there has been significant change in age distribution for all age groups in the past twenty years. In 1970, 46.0 % of the New Hanover County population was made up of young people (24 years old or less) while adults (people between the ages of 25 and 54) made up 36.5% of the population. At the same time, older adults (age 55 and over) constituted 17.5% of the County's population. In the early 1980's, as the adult population continued to increase and growth in the population of young people slowed, both age groups had an equal share of the population. Since the early 1980's, the adult population has continued to grow at a faster rate than that of young people, and now contains a much larger share of the total population. In 1990, the adult population was 43 % and the percent of young people in the County had dropped to 35.5%. This is probably due to the fact the large baby boom population (people born between 1946 and 1964) had reached the adult age category. Also, in 1990 the older adult population had grown to 21.5 % of the County's population. This increase may be due in part to New Hanover County's increasing popularity as a retirement destination. In the year 2000, the gap between young people and adults will begin to get smaller and thepopulation ofolder adults will beginto grow at an accelerated rate. The increase in elderly population will come about as a result of the aging of baby boomers and the continued influx ofretirees. 11 Table 7 - Trends in Age Distribution 1970 - 2020 Young People % Adults % Older Adults % 1970 38,159 46.0 30,345 36.5 14,492 17.5 1980 42,396 41.0 40,537 39.1 20,538 19.9 1990 42,654 35.5 51,757 43.0 25,873 21.5 2000 44,583 32.9 59,248 43.7 31,746 23.4 2010 47,119 31.9 58,369 39.5 42,324 28.6 2020 48,074 30.3 58,081 36.7 52,276 33.0 Figure 4 - Trends in Age Distribution 1970 - 2020 50 W1 a 0 3 40 w 35 0 30 a 25 20 15 " 1970 1980 1990 2000 Year (0-24) (25-54) (55+ ) Young People Adults Older Adults Source. United States Census and North Carolina Office of State Planning Growth Analysis Both black, white, and other ethnic populations gained in numbers during the 1980's. However, the overall percentages of racial structure showed some change. In both percentage and overall numbers, white residents in the County increased more than other racial groups. Conversely, while the number of black residents increased, their overall percentage of the population shrank. The reason for this difference is found when analyzing EO U 12 U the components ofpopulation change: The black population had a higher natural growth rate, but the overwhelming percentage, 98.8% ofthe 11,573 new migratory residents, were white. Projections through the year2020 show black residents increasing naturally in numbers faster than white residents. With the addition of migration, though, the overall percentage indicates that the ethnic make-up of the population will not change much from the present distribution. Table 8- New Hanover County Population by Race and by Sex New Hanover County North Carolina 1980 1990 1980 1990 White 80,353 94,895 4,457,507 5,008,491 Black 22,371 24,097 1,318,857 1,456,323 Other 747 1,292 105,402 163,823 Totals 103,471 120,284 5,881,766 6,628,637 Male 49,364 57,071 2,855,385 3,214,290 Female 54,107 63,213 3,026,381 3,414,347 Source: 1980 Decennial Census, 1990 Decennial Census C. Sub -area Vends All of the incorporated areas of New Hanover County experienced gains in population between 1980 and 1990. Wilmington, with the annexations of Pine Valley and part of Winter Park, received the largest population gain among the incorporated areas.. Carolina Beach grew more than all of the other beach communities. Wrightsville Beach saw minimal gains in resident population as counted by the census. However, according to the Wrightsville Beach Planning Office, the northern end of Wrightsville Beach experienced significant growth in year round population which was not accounted for by the Census Bureau in Wrightsville Beach's population totals. 13 Table 9- Subregion Data - Population by Municipality 1960 % 1970 % 1980 % 1990 % 2000 % Unincorporated 25,521 35.5% 33,069 39.8% 53,976 52.2% 57,568 47.9% 59,465 43.9% Wilmington 44,013 614lQ 46,1G9 55 6' 44,000 41 SYo 55,530 462% 62,365 460Ia Wrightsville Beach 723 1.0% 1,701 2.1'% 2,884 2.8'% 2,937 2A% 7,550 5.6% Carolina Beach 1,192 17Ya I,6ti3 1]'I. 2,OOa 19'�a,b30 3 OYa 4,?SO 3 5% Kure Beach 293 OA% 394 0.5% 611 0.6'% 619 0.5% 1,450 I.1% Totals 71,742 100.0% 82,996 100.0% 103,471 100.0% 120,284 100.0% 135,580 100.0% Source. United States Census Bureau, Cape Fear Council of Government, Wrightsville, Carolina and Kure Beaches and the City of Wilmington. Of the unincorporated County, the waterfront locations were the areas that developed the most. A great deal of development activity in these areas has occurred through the last decade and this trend is expected to continue. Since 1980, more than 50% of the County's population growth has been concentrated in census tracts along the coast. M. HOUSING The decade of the 1980's saw much activity in housing construction. Nationwide trends of population growth and decreasing household sizes were the same factors which helped fuel the construction boom in New Hanover County. In the past few decades, a decrease in the average household size occurred. Thig decrease is mainly the result of more single -person households, migrants of retirement age, and the decreasing size of the average family. Coupled with that, New Hanover experienced large increases in its population during the 1970's and 1980's. The result of these events was a housing market that grew considerably. Developers responded by building new homes to accommodate the increased demand. Table 10 and Figure 5 show the declining household size and the increase in single person households. Table 10- Household Size 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 New Hanover :::3 43 3.08 2.61 < 2.43 2 3$ ...._... Wilmington _._ 3 3E 2.93 Z 45: 2.26 Z 2Z North Carolina 3 66 _; 3.24 ....... 2 80:< 2.54 :. 2 34 United States ;<3 3 .; 3.14 2 74 2.63 . 2 39 .: Source. 1986 Population Study, New Hanover County, North Carolina Data Center and the United States Census Bureau. Table 10 located on this page. Figure 5 located on pages 15 and 16. K U 14 K Figure 5 located this page. K n A considerable amount of construction activity occurred within the County during the 1980's. Figure 5 reveals that during this period 13,757 units were added to the County's housing stock. These additions were partially absorbed by new -comers to the County. New residents typically settled in the rapidly developing areas along the coast. Some homes, however, were also left unoccupied. Other houses were occupied on a seasonal basis. As a result, the County's vacancy rate increased to over 15%. (77te 1990 national rate was 10.1 %). The high percentage of vacant homes indicates that the housing market maybe saturated. Economic conditions generally dictate the demand for new housing. However, changes in current economic conditions combined with , continued growth through in - migration may increase the demand for housing. Despite this fact, it is unlikely that new housing construction in the County will recover to the levels experienced in the 1980's. With the help of two annexations, Wilmington's housing stock also expanded during theeighties. Figure 5 illustrates thaduring the last decade, an additional 7,257 housing units were added to the City's total. During this same period the vacancy rate for houses in the City rose from 9.4%to 11.0 %. The increased number ofvacancies indicate thatWilmington is also facing the same saturated housing market as the County. It should be noted that the vacancy rate within the unincorporated County is influenced more by vacancies due to seasonal residencies and, therefore, is higher. Figure 5 - Population and Housing, Wilmington and New Hanover County 35,000 30,000 25,000 V! .d 20,000 N 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 Wilmington 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 Year ■ Occupied l] Vacant 15 80,000 60,000 43 c 40,000 20,000 0 New Hanover County 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 Year ■ Occupied ❑ Vacant Note. Vacant housing projections for Wilmington in the year 2000 are based on 11.0% vacancy rate. Vacant housing projections for the year 2000 in New Hanover County are based on a 15.0% vacancy rate. As shown in Table 11, national trends in housing tenure generally hold true in unincorporated New Hanover County. The majority of houses, about 6 in 10, are occupied by their owners. In the City of Wilmington, the percentage of owner -occupied houses is about 47 %. This lower owner occupancy rate is typical of Wilmington, though. The City has historically provided municipal services ri.e. water and sewer) which have led to the concentration of more multi -family, rental housing within its boundaries. Table 11 - Housing by Tenure % Owner Occupied % Rental Occupied 1970 1980 1990 1970 1980 1990 Wilmington 51.5 47.2 47.1 Wilmington 48.5 52.8 52.9 Newlanover ....................... ..::;.62,7:::::... ....................................................................... ................................. NewHanover...37.1..:.:....35.4:; _ ....................... ..:..37.3 United States 62.9 64.4 64.0 United States 37.1 35.6 36.0 Note. In 1970 and 1980 only year-round housing units were counted for the census. The 1990 census includes both seasonal and year-round vacancy counts. The 1970 -1980 Mnington and New Hanover rates were adjusted to include seasonal and year-round vacancies. Since 1985, the popularity of single-family homes has resulted in additional construc- tion in the unincorporated County. Construction of single-family housing has surpassed the construction of duplexes, multi -family complexes, and the installation of manufactured housing units. In 1991, a total of 1331 mobile homes and other housing units were added to the existing housing stock. Of these new housing units, 992 or 25% were single-family dwellings. Table 11 located this page. n L-J C 16 n K Table 12 and 13 located this page. Figure 6 located page 18 W 5 —11 LCOl1 1 o Income figures for the County remained strong in comparison to those of the State and the Country. The 1990 census recorded the income data for 1989. In 1989, the per capita incomefigure for New Hanover County ($13,863) was higher than that ofthe State ($12,885) and the U.S. ($12,279). The County did fall below national levels in median household income. Most likely, these income levels are reflective of the lower income levels found in the South. (see Table 12 and 13) Table 12 - Per Capita Income Current Constant* 1979 1989 1979 1989 New Hanover $6,747 $13,863 $8,551 $13,115 NorthCarolma $6,133 - $I2,885 .. ....:: $7 773 $I2190 . ...:......... . United States $6,819 $12,979 $7,906 $12,279 Source: 1991 United States Statistical Abstract, United States Census and North Carolina Statistical Abstract. Note: *Constant dollarfigures in 1982 dollars. Table 13 - Median Household Income Current Constant* 1979 1989 1979 1989 New Hanover $15,341 $27,320 $19,444 $25,847 NorthCarofma $14,48I :`: ' ;:: $26,647 ........ $t8 3S4 $25;ZI0 United States $16,461 $28,906 $20,863 $27,347 Source: 1991 United States Statistical Abstract, United States Census, and 1991 North Carolina Statistical Abstract. Note: *Constant dollarfigures in 1982 dollars. When comparing poverty rates, the County lags behind State and National levels. The poverty level varies by person or family based on qualities such as age and family size. In 1989, the poverty threshold for a family of four as defined by the United States Census was $12,575. State and National poverty rates have remained lower than both the City and County. On the positive side, the percentage ofpeople in both Wilmington and New Hanover County living at or below the poverty level decreased during the 1980's. (seefigure 6.) North Carolina, which traditionally has a high poverty rate, closed the gap substantially on the nation. The State rate dropped to within two/tenths of a percent of the national level (12.8170). New Hanover County also approached the national rate with a 1.2 % decrease in its poverty rate. The City has a comparatively high poverty rate, although poverty rates are typically higher in more urbanized areas. 17 Figure 6 - Percent of People Below the Poverty Level, 1979 - 1989 15.5 15 14.5 14 13.5 13 - 12.5 19 ' 79 1989 New Hanover County North Carolina United States V. EDUCATION Residents ofthe County have improved their educational attairtmentto levels above the national average. In 1970, the percentage of New Hanover County residents over the age of 25 that had graduated from high school was 45.5%, a figure which was below the national average. In 1990, that percentagejumped to 78.1 %, putting it above the national average of 76.9%. Table 14 - Educational Attainment of People 25 and Older No High School High School Some College/ Bachelor's Graduate or ' Total Diploma Diploma Associate Degree Degree Professional Degree ..... ........ ............. . ... 22,578 ............. . . ..... ..... ...... 11,935 .. .... .... ...... 606 ....... ....... 77,970...... ........... ...................... .... .. ... ......... (29.00/0) . ......... .. .... ..... --- (153%) ..... .. . ......... ..... .......... . (100.0%) ............... .... Source. United States Census. K x 18 C Table 15 located below. Figure 7 - Percentage of High School Graduates Peroentage 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 ' 1970 VI. Tourism 1980 1990 New Hanover County North Carolina Unitcd States Tourism has traditionally had a significant effect on short-term and seasonal population counts. The presence of regional service and retail business along with popular tourist attractions like the Battleship North Carolina and Fort Fisher Aquarium bring many visitors to the County. Furthermore, the area's beaches and their associated amenities make the County a popular destination for tourists. Evidence of this can be cited in the summertime population counts of the beach communities. During the summer, the daytime population at Wrightsville Beach can swell by as many as 25,000 - 35,000. A considerable increase from the permanent population of about 3,000. This situation repeats itself at the Pleasure Island Communities of Kure Beach and Carolina Beach where they have population counts of 20,000 - 25,000 during the summer. Tourist locations are becoming more accessible as well. With the recent completion of Interstate 40 and additions to the New Hanover International Airport, future visitation of these sites should grow steadily. Due to the large amount of single day visitors, or "Day -Trippers ", an accurate count oftourists to the County is hard to determine. Using various visitor related economic figures, The North Carolina Aquarium Feasibility Study estimated the number of annual visitors to the County between June 1990and May 1991 to be 1,328,000. The breakdown ofthe figures used to derive this number can be seen in Table 15. The 620,000 number for "Day -Trippers " is an estimate of this segment of the tourist population based upon traffic counts. Table 15 - Annual Visitation to New Hanover County Hotel/Motel Visitors 500,000 Private Home V1sltors 208'000. ..... Day Visitors 620,000 Total Annual Visitation to The County 1,328,000 Source: The North Carolina Aquarium Feasibility Study. Joseph Wetzel Associates, Inc. Dec. 301991. p. 43. 19 VII. Conclusion C The 1992 Population Study of New Hanover County provides a wealth of information aimed at profiling and projecting County population conditions. Most ofthe data used in this report comes from the latest 1990 census publications, which provided the most accurate and up-to-date figures available. As documented in this Study, the County is continuing to urbanize. Population and housing counts are growing and the income and education levels of County residents are improving. The report also points out some significant issues of concern, such as the growing number of elderly residents and the relatively high poverty rates which are present in the County. With the aid of this population data, plans and policies are developed to address and improve conditions and provide for the needs of County residents. Businesses along with the general public can use the population information as a reference. Additionally, the report gives historical data which records how County growth has taken place. As depicted in this study, the dynamics of population growth in New Hanover County continue to change. This report profiles these changes in order to give the reader a better understanding of the County's population and social conditions. As a result, this population study will be a valuable source of information for local decision makers, businesses and the public in planning for New Hanover County's future. 20