United States › North Carolina › Morganton CITY · 2020 ACS
Morganton North Carolina · 17,474 residents · 19.2 sq mi
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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 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
Morganton is home to 17,474 people in North Carolina. 26.1% of people here live below the federal poverty line. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 21% of adults. Owners hold 52% of the housing stock. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 29%. The typical home is worth $153,400, having risen by half since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 39.5
US median: 38.8
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 39.1 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
15K 16K 16K 17K 18K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Morganton Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $40,406
−22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,678 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $20,906 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 18.3% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 13.6% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Professional, scientific, technical 2.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.3%
Transportation & warehousing 1%
Public administration 0.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.5%
Education & health services 0.2%
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$153,400
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $89,000 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$684
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $475 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 57.0% in 2000
48.2% rent
2.58 people
+12%since 2009
from 2.31 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 72.6%(12,570)
Hispanic / Latino 11.2%(1,931)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 60%(10,489)
Hispanic / Latino 23.5%(4,108)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 18 more ancestry groups with data from 20.8% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 69.8% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 7.3% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 72.1% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 10.4% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 54.4% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 30.6% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 18.8% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
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: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 5.1%(40)
Gulf War (1990s) 16.8%(133)
Share of the 792 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
Lenoir
Income $49,910 +24%
Home value $179,400 +17%
Population 18,372 +3%
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MORGANTON VS
Hickory
Income $64,576 +60%
Home value $278,400 +81%
Population 45,975 +158%
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MORGANTON VS
St. Stephens
Income $60,394 +49%
Home value $213,300 +39%
Population 9,457 −47%
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MORGANTON VS
Newton
Income $62,015 +53%
Home value $186,300 +21%
Population 13,822 −23%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Morganton, North Carolina? Morganton, North Carolina has about 17,474 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Morganton, North Carolina? The typical household in Morganton, North Carolina earns about $40,406 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 $153,400, and the typical rent is about $684 a month.
How educated are people in Morganton, North Carolina? About 20.6% 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 26.1% 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 2,389 residents, a change of about 16 percent over that period.
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