Macon County, North Carolina
Located in North Carolina, Macon County has a population of 37,941 residents and a median age of 49.7 years, making it the #1,253 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 11.6%. The median home value is $251,900, and the median household income is $59,061, which is 21% below the national median.
Demographics
Macon County has a population of 37,941, making it the #1,253 most populous county in the US. The median age is 49.7 years, which is 27.8% 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 Macon County is $59,061, ranking #2,164 out of 3,222 counties — 21.4% below the national median. The poverty rate is 11.6% and unemployment stands at 2.8%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Macon County is $251,900 (-10.6% vs national). Renters pay a median of $803/mo and the homeownership rate is 77.6%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Macon County, 27.9% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 17.2% below the national average, ranking #931 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Macon County is 75.4 years. 17.4% of adults report poor or fair health and 16.2% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
15.7% of adults in Macon County smoke , 31.3% are obese , and 20.4% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 41.2 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Macon County is 4.8 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 22.9 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 21.4 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
20.5% of children in Macon County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 23.7 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Macon County is 74.4%. The mean commute time is 24.8 min, which is 10.1% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Macon County voted Republican with a margin of 38.0%. The vote was 30.6% Dem / 68.6% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted +0.5 toward Democrats .
Vote Share Over Time
About Macon County, North Carolina
Macon County, North Carolina has a total population of 37,941, making it the 1,253rd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Macon County is 49.7 years, which is 27.8% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Macon County is $59,061, which ranks #2,164 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 21.4% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 11.6%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 2.8%.
The median home value in Macon County is $251,900, 10.6% below the national median. Renters in Macon County pay a median gross rent of $803 per month. The homeownership rate is 77.6%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Macon County, 27.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 17.2% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 86.3% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 24.8 min.
Macon County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 85.2% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (10.0%) and Two or More Races (2.4%).
All data for Macon 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.