Mitchell County, North Carolina
Located in North Carolina, Mitchell County has a population of 14,992 residents and a median age of 48.0 years, making it the #2,163 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 12.9%. The median home value is $220,100, and the median household income is $57,602, which is 23% below the national median.
Demographics
Mitchell County has a population of 14,992, making it the #2,163 most populous county in the US. The median age is 48.0 years, which is 23.4% 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 Mitchell County is $57,602, ranking #2,297 out of 3,222 counties — 23.3% below the national median. The poverty rate is 12.9% and unemployment stands at 6.5%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Mitchell County is $220,100 (-21.9% vs national). Renters pay a median of $813/mo and the homeownership rate is 76.3%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Mitchell County, 24.2% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 28.2% below the national average, ranking #1,339 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Mitchell County is 74.1 years. 16.7% of adults report poor or fair health and 11.3% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
16.4% of adults in Mitchell County smoke , 34.1% are obese , and 21.3% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 35.6 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 20.8 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 16.2 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
19.8% of children in Mitchell County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 22.4 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Mitchell County is 76.7%. The mean commute time is 27.1 min, which is 1.9% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Mitchell County voted Republican with a margin of 55.9%. The vote was 21.7% Dem / 77.6% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted +1.8 toward Democrats .
Vote Share Over Time
About Mitchell County, North Carolina
Mitchell County, North Carolina has a total population of 14,992, making it the 2,163rd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Mitchell County is 48.0 years, which is 23.4% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Mitchell County is $57,602, which ranks #2,297 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 23.3% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 12.9%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 6.5%.
The median home value in Mitchell County is $220,100, 21.9% below the national median. Renters in Mitchell County pay a median gross rent of $813 per month. The homeownership rate is 76.3%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Mitchell County, 24.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 28.2% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 90.7% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 27.1 min.
Mitchell County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 91.0% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (5.6%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
All data for Mitchell 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.