Caldwell County, North Carolina
Located in North Carolina, Caldwell County has a population of 80,536 residents and a median age of 45.4 years, making it the #722 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 13.4%. The median home value is $192,200, and the median household income is $56,425, which is 25% below the national median.
Demographics
Caldwell County has a population of 80,536, making it the #722 most populous county in the US. The median age is 45.4 years, which is 16.7% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Caldwell County is $56,425, ranking #2,381 out of 3,222 counties — 24.9% below the national median. The poverty rate is 13.4% and unemployment stands at 5.0%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Caldwell County is $192,200 (-31.8% vs national). Renters pay a median of $744/mo and the homeownership rate is 73.5%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Caldwell County, 18.8% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 44.2% below the national average, ranking #2,219 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Caldwell County is 72.4 years. 18.9% of adults report poor or fair health and 13.1% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
18.4% of adults in Caldwell County smoke , 35.0% are obese , and 19.4% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 45.7 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Caldwell County is 5.8 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 19.1 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 15.1 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
18.1% of children in Caldwell County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 6.4 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 23.4 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Caldwell County is 67.0%. The mean commute time is 27.5 min, which is 0.5% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Caldwell County voted Republican with a margin of 52.6%. The vote was 23.4% Dem / 76% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 1.5 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Caldwell County, North Carolina
Caldwell County, North Carolina has a total population of 80,536, making it the 722nd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Caldwell County is 45.4 years, which is 16.7% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Caldwell County is $56,425, which ranks #2,381 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 24.9% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 13.4%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 5.0%.
The median home value in Caldwell County is $192,200, 31.8% below the national median. Renters in Caldwell County pay a median gross rent of $744 per month. The homeownership rate is 73.5%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Caldwell County, 18.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 44.2% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 89.5% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 27.5 min.
Caldwell County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 85.3% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (6.7%) and Black (non-Hispanic) (4.1%).
All data for Caldwell County, North Carolina comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.