United States › North Carolina › Cooleemee CITY
Cooleemee North Carolina · 1,002 residents (2025 est.) · 0.75 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 988 people, Cooleemee is a city in North Carolina. 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $144,600. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 35%. 3% of locals were born outside the United States. Owners hold 75% of the housing stock.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 35.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 28%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 905 in 2000
1,002 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,314 / sq mi
+7%since 2009
from 1,223 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 40.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
721 808 895 982 1K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Cooleemee Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $46,750
−14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,833 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,148 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 18.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 12.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.435 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 7.5%
Professional, scientific, technical 5.6%
Education & health services 1.7%
Transportation & warehousing 1.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$144,600
+28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $62,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$968
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $450 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 78.3% in 2000
25.1% rent
from 8.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.60 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 17.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 56.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.2 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 89.6%(811)
Hispanic / Latino 4.1%(37)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 68.2%(674)
Hispanic / Latino 6.4%(63)
from 23 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 2 more ancestry groups with data from 7.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 71.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 87.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 18.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 56.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 71.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 13.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 22.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 22.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 70.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 86.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 81.4% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 94.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 5.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 22.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 44.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 7.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 17.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 33.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 52.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 50.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 20%(14)
Gulf War (1990s) 38.6%(27)
Share of the 70 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Cooleemee Head to head
Compare Cooleemee to nearby cities COOLEEMEE VS
Salisbury
Income $53,716 +15%
Home value $242,500 +68%
Population 36,879 +3581%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COOLEEMEE VS
Lexington
Income $43,128 −8%
Home value $179,900 +24%
Population 20,238 +1920%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COOLEEMEE VS
Statesville
Income $52,880 +13%
Home value $248,000 +72%
Population 32,181 +3112%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COOLEEMEE VS
Clemmons
Income $87,655 +87%
Home value $335,800 +132%
Population 22,808 +2176%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Cooleemee, North Carolina? Cooleemee, North Carolina has about 988 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Cooleemee, North Carolina? The typical household in Cooleemee, North Carolina earns about $46,750 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Cooleemee, North Carolina expensive? In Cooleemee, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $144,600, and the typical rent is about $968 a month.
How educated are people in Cooleemee, North Carolina? About 15.4% of adults age 25 and over in Cooleemee, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Cooleemee, North Carolina? About 10.6% of people in Cooleemee, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Cooleemee, North Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Cooleemee, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 17 residents, a change of about 2 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 