McDowell County, North Carolina

NC · FIPS 37111 · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

Metric Value vs National Rank Percentile
Total Population 44,817 #1,105 / 3,222
66th
Median Household Income $57,168 -23.9% #2,316 / 3,222
28th
Median Age 44.3 years +13.9% #875 / 3,222
73th
Median Home Value $171,100 -39.3% #1,786 / 3,222
44th
Median Gross Rent $806 -30.7% #2,057 / 3,222
36th
Poverty Rate 14.8% +17.5% #1,916 / 3,222
41th

Demographics

McDowell County has a population of 44,817, making it the #1,105 most populous county in the US. The median age is 44.3 years, which is 13.9% above the national median.

Population Trend

Rankings →

Year-over-Year Population Growth

Age & Sex Distribution

Race & Ethnicity

Nativity

96.8%
Native Born
3.2%
Foreign Born

Household Type

Economy

The median household income in McDowell County is $57,168, ranking #2,316 out of 3,222 counties — 23.9% below the national median. The poverty rate is 14.8% and unemployment stands at 4.1%.

Median Household Income
$57,168 −23.9% vs nat'l
Rank #2,316 of 3,222
28th percentile
Per Capita Income
$30,395 −26.3% vs nat'l
Rank #2,354 of 3,222
27th percentile
Poverty Rate
14.8% +17.5% vs nat'l
Rank #1,916 of 3,222
41th percentile
Unemployment Rate
4.1% −23.2% vs nat'l
Rank #1,355 of 3,222
58th percentile
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
18.1% −46.3% vs nat'l
Rank #2,347 of 3,222
27th percentile
Mean Commute Time
27.1 min −1.9% vs nat'l
Rank #1,471 of 3,222
54th percentile

Median Household Income Trend

Rankings →

Poverty Rate Trend

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Housing

The median home value in McDowell County is $171,100 (-39.3% vs national). Renters pay a median of $806/mo and the homeownership rate is 75.6%.

Median Home Value
$171,100 −39.3% vs nat'l
Rank #1,786 of 3,222
44th percentile
Median Gross Rent
$806 −30.7% vs nat'l
Rank #2,057 of 3,222
36th percentile
Homeownership Rate
75.6% +17.4% vs nat'l
Rank #1,434 of 3,222
56th percentile
75.6% Homeownership

Median Home Value Trend

Rankings →

Health

88.5% of residents in McDowell County have health insurance coverage, which is 3.5% below the national rate.

88.5% Health Insurance
Health Insurance Coverage
88.5% −3.5% vs nat'l
Rank #2,477 of 3,222
23th percentile

About McDowell County, North Carolina

McDowell County, North Carolina has a total population of 44,817, making it the 1,105th most populous county in the United States. The median age in McDowell County is 44.3 years, which is 13.9% above the national median of 38.9 years.

The median household income in McDowell County is $57,168, which ranks #2,316 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 23.9% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 14.8%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.1%.

The median home value in McDowell County is $171,100, 39.3% below the national median. Renters in McDowell County pay a median gross rent of $806 per month. The homeownership rate is 75.6%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.

In McDowell County, 18.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 46.3% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 88.5% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 27.1 min.

McDowell County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 85.6% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (7.1%) and Black (non-Hispanic) (3.8%).

All data for McDowell 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.