Transylvania County, North Carolina
Located in North Carolina, Transylvania County has a population of 33,691 residents and a median age of 51.6 years, making it the #1,374 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 13.2%. The median home value is $373,600, and the median household income is $66,184, which is 12% below the national median.
Demographics
Transylvania County has a population of 33,691, making it the #1,374 most populous county in the US. The median age is 51.6 years, which is 32.6% 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 Transylvania County is $66,184, ranking #1,513 out of 3,222 counties — 11.9% below the national median. The poverty rate is 13.2% and unemployment stands at 2.8%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Transylvania County is $373,600 (+32.5% vs national). Renters pay a median of $967/mo and the homeownership rate is 74.7%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Transylvania County, 40.0% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 18.6% above the national average, ranking #281 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Transylvania County is 79.1 years. 14.1% of adults report poor or fair health and 13.6% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
13.3% of adults in Transylvania County smoke , 32.8% are obese , and 21.4% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 17.8 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Transylvania County is 4.2 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 15.0 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 10.6 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
18.4% of children in Transylvania County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 15.3 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Transylvania County is 72.5%. The mean commute time is 24.1 min, which is 12.5% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Transylvania County voted Republican with a margin of 12.2%. The vote was 43.3% Dem / 55.5% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted +3.4 toward Democrats .
Vote Share Over Time
About Transylvania County, North Carolina
Transylvania County, North Carolina has a total population of 33,691, making it the 1,374th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Transylvania County is 51.6 years, which is 32.6% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Transylvania County is $66,184, which ranks #1,513 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 11.9% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 13.2%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 2.8%.
The median home value in Transylvania County is $373,600, 32.5% above the national median. Renters in Transylvania County pay a median gross rent of $967 per month. The homeownership rate is 74.7%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Transylvania County, 40.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 18.6% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 88.7% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 24.1 min.
Transylvania County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 87.6% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (5.2%) and Black (non-Hispanic) (3.6%).
All data for Transylvania 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.