Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
Located in North Carolina, Mecklenburg County has a population of 1,154,681 residents and a median age of 35.5 years, making it the #41 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 10.4%. The median home value is $406,800, and the median household income is $87,005, which is 16% above the national median.
Demographics
Mecklenburg County has a population of 1,154,681, making it the #41 most populous county in the US. The median age is 35.5 years, which is 8.7% below 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 Mecklenburg County is $87,005, ranking #370 out of 3,222 counties — 15.8% above the national median. The poverty rate is 10.4% and unemployment stands at 4.3%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Mecklenburg County is $406,800 (+44.3% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,627/mo and the homeownership rate is 55.1%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Mecklenburg County, 49.2% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 46.1% above the national average, ranking #109 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Mecklenburg County is 78.8 years. 15.5% of adults report poor or fair health and 11.3% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
12.9% of adults in Mecklenburg County smoke , 34.1% are obese , and 20.8% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 23.4 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Mecklenburg County is 9.1 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 9.6 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 9.5 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
14.2% of children in Mecklenburg County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 5.5 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 16.7 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Mecklenburg County is 76.4%. 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, Mecklenburg County voted Democratic with a margin of 32.9%. The vote was 65.6% Dem / 32.7% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 2.2 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina has a total population of 1,154,681, making it the 41st most populous county in the United States. The median age in Mecklenburg County is 35.5 years, which is 8.7% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Mecklenburg County is $87,005, which ranks #370 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 15.8% above the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 10.4%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.3%.
The median home value in Mecklenburg County is $406,800, 44.3% above the national median. Renters in Mecklenburg County pay a median gross rent of $1,627 per month. The homeownership rate is 55.1%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Mecklenburg County, 49.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 46.1% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 88.5% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 27.5 min.
Mecklenburg County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 43.2% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (29.7%) and Hispanic or Latino (16.0%).
All data for Mecklenburg 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.