United States › North Carolina › Morganton CITY
Morganton North Carolina · 17,849 residents (2025 est.) · 19.2 sq mi
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The short version
Morganton is a city of 17,646 people in North Carolina. 25.7% of people here live below the federal poverty line. Households here earn about 29% less than in North Carolina as a whole. About 26% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Owners hold 55% of the housing stock. The typical home is worth $221,700, having more than doubled since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 37.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
26% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 37%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 17,310 in 2000
17,849 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 884 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 39.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
15K 16K 16K 17K 18K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Morganton Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $51,355
−19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,678 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $20,906 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 18.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 13.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.487 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 3.8%
Public administration 2.6%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.3%
Transportation & warehousing 0.7%
Education & health services 0.7%
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$221,700
+37%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $89,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$944
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $475 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 57.0% in 2000
45.3% rent
from 12.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.31 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 24.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 44.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 4.1 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 72.6%(12,570)
Hispanic / Latino 11.2%(1,931)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 58.4%(10,301)
Hispanic / Latino 22.6%(3,982)
from 58 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
+ 11 more ancestry groups with data from 20.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 69.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 7.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 72.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 17.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 10.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 54.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 65.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 21.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 30.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 8.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 21.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 18.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 66.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 86.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 82.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 82.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 15.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 41.5%(2,823)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 18.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 41.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 13.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 21.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 30.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 49.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 48.0% 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) 23.7%(145)
Share of the 612 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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Morganton Head to head
Compare Morganton to nearby cities MORGANTON VS
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MORGANTON VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Morganton, North Carolina? Morganton, North Carolina has about 17,646 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Morganton, North Carolina? The typical household in Morganton, North Carolina earns about $51,355 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Morganton, North Carolina expensive? In Morganton, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $221,700, and the typical rent is about $944 a month.
How educated are people in Morganton, North Carolina? About 26.1% of adults age 25 and over in Morganton, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Morganton, North Carolina? About 25.7% of people in Morganton, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Morganton, North Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Morganton, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,561 residents, a change of about 17 percent over that period.
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