1st Advantage MortgageAbout 78% of Tyrrell County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $41,685. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Tyrrell County, NC: the basics
- What it costs to live in Tyrrell County
- Paychecks and income spread in Tyrrell County
- Jobs and commutes in Tyrrell County
- Places inside Tyrrell County
- Tyrrell County next to its neighbors
- What a median Tyrrell County budget can carry
- Before borrowing in Tyrrell County
- Who lives in Tyrrell County, in numbers
- Steps before you apply in Tyrrell County
- Licensing and complaints for Tyrrell County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Tyrrell County, NC: the basics
Roughly 3,423 residents live in Tyrrell County, North Carolina, 100th by population among the state's 100 counties and county equivalents. Land area is 391 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 9 per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Tyrrell County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. Columbia, with about 759 people, is the only Census place mainly inside the county. With so few households sampled, Tyrrell County estimates can move a lot between releases.
What it costs to live in Tyrrell County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $644 in Tyrrell County versus $1,228 statewide. 52% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 9% spend half or more. With a median value of $164,500, a typical Tyrrell County house costs 3.9 times what the median household earns in a year. 78% of Tyrrell County households own their home and 22% rent. Half the housing stock was built before 1979.
| Home costs | Tyrrell County | North Carolina | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $644/mo | $1,228/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $164,500 | $288,900 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 78% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 52% | 49% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 52% | 25% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 28.8% | 11.0% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 31% | 13% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Tyrrell County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it. When half or more of renters are already stretched, a new payment needs a stress test: what happens if a paycheck is a week late?
Paychecks and income spread in Tyrrell County
At $41,685, the typical Tyrrell County household income is 37% below the median U.S. county ($65,681).
| Band | Tyrrell County | Compared with North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 43.2% | +20.0 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 43.4% | +1.9 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 10.1% | -14.8 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 3.2% | -7.1 pts |
The spread is wide: 13% of Tyrrell County households make $100,000 or more, and 43% make less than $35,000. 18.7% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 13.0%). The Gini index of income inequality is 0.422 (0 is perfect equality). Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
Jobs and commutes in Tyrrell County
The biggest employer of Tyrrell County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 22% of workers, followed by other services (17%). The sharpest difference from the state is in other services, at 17% locally and 5% for North Carolina. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 2.8% in Tyrrell County. Long commutes are common here: 46% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. 10.7% of households have no vehicle.
| Industry | Share of Tyrrell County workers | vs North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.2% | -0.3 pts |
| Other services | 16.8% | +12.0 pts |
| Construction | 15.5% | +8.1 pts |
| Public administration | 9.3% | +5.1 pts |
| Retail trade | 8.8% | -2.4 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 6.1% | -2.2 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Places inside Tyrrell County
Just one Census place, Columbia, lies mainly within Tyrrell County; it holds about 759 people. Columbia has no separate guide, so this county page serves it.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | town | 759 | $25,893 | $678 | 6 mi |
Tyrrell County next to its neighbors
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (23 to 32 miles). Income ranges from $41,813 in Washington County to $88,994 in Dare County; all six of these neighbors top Tyrrell County's median.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyrrell County | - | $41,685 | $644/mo | 78% |
| Washington County, NC | 23 mi | $41,813 | $743/mo | 68% |
| Perquimans County, NC | 25 mi | $67,917 | $1,008/mo | 77% |
| Pasquotank County, NC | 28 mi | $66,589 | $1,170/mo | 67% |
| Dare County, NC | 29 mi | $88,994 | $1,345/mo | 78% |
| Chowan County, NC | 30 mi | $53,864 | $681/mo | 71% |
| Hyde County, NC | 32 mi | $53,713 | $1,263/mo | 72% |
What a median Tyrrell County budget can carry
Tyrrell County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- $41,685 a year is $3,474 of gross monthly income
- Rent at the median, $644, takes 19% of that
- With a 35% ceiling, about $572 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
- 45% debt-to-income limit: $919 left for all other debt payments
Two-income households and single earners in Tyrrell County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
Before borrowing in Tyrrell County
A few patterns in the Tyrrell County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Hospital bills in Tyrrell County. For the 14% of residents without coverage, the provider's charity-care program comes before any loan (details).
- Commuter costs. 46% drive 45 minutes or more. Compare shop financing with a loan, and keep a small repair fund.
- 29% mobile homes. Many are not titled as real estate, so home-equity options may not apply; an unsecured loan is the usual route.
- Older households. A 47.8 median age means fixed-income borrowing is common; a fixed payment and short term limit risk.
Who lives in Tyrrell County, in numbers
College graduates make up 13% of the adult population. About 14% go without health insurance.
| Residents | Tyrrell County | North Carolina | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.8 | 39.1 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 13.0% | 35.7% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 16.5% | 9.9% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 13.9% | 9.9% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 10.7% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 8.5% | 16.3% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 18.7% | 13.0% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.8% | 4.7% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Tyrrell County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 26.1% |
| 15 to 29 min | 21.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 6.3% |
| 45 to 59 min | 19.8% |
| 60+ min | 26.5% |
Steps before you apply in Tyrrell County
Quick steps for Tyrrell County:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Tyrrell County-area credit union.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Keep a small cushion so one surprise bill does not mean another loan.
Licensing and complaints for Tyrrell County
Consumer lenders serving Tyrrell County are licensed by the state, not the county; in North Carolina that is the North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. See the North Carolina state guide for the statewide picture.
Nearby and statewide guides
For statewide rules and data, see the North Carolina guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Tyrrell County?
$41,685 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $72,388 for North Carolina. It ranks 100th of 100 in the state.
Is Tyrrell County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $644 against $1,228 statewide, and 52% of renter households are cost-burdened.
I own my home in Tyrrell County. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 78% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
What are the biggest places in Tyrrell County?
By population: Columbia. The county has 1 Census place in all.
Will a Tyrrell County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming North Carolina as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.