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CITY

Rutherford College

North Carolina · 1,220 residents (2025 est.) · 2.30 sq mi
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The short version

Rutherford College is home to 1,374 people in North Carolina. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $185,600. 26% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. 4% of people here were born outside the United States. Renters pay $853 a month at the median. Owners hold 73% of the housing stock.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
26% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
1,374
+6%since 2000
from 1,293 in 2000
1,220 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
598 / sq mi
+15%since 2009
from 521 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
41.2
+6%since 2000
from 39.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
2.30 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
1K1K1K1K1K19902000201020202024Rutherford College
20241K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.4%(88)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.9%(67)
US avg: 6%
10 to 141.6%(22)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 1910.8%(149)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.9%(81)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413.5%(186)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4414%(193)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 546.3%(87)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6421.6%(297)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 748.8%(121)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 843.9%(54)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.1%(29)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$67,500
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,579 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$31,728
+75%since 2000
from $18,148 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
40.8%
+25.2 ptssince 2009
from 15.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
7.7%
+1.0 ptssince 2000
from 6.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.371
−10%since 2010
from 0.410 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information14.1%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services10.5%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration10.5%
US avg: 4.8%
Retail trade9.8%
US avg: 9.9%
Arts, entertainment, food3%
US avg: 1.9%
Wholesale trade2%
US avg: 6.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
Transportation & warehousing0%
US avg: 2.2%
Finance & insurance0%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical0%
US avg: 5.1%
Education & health services0%
US avg: 0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$185,600
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $86,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$853
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $394 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
73.1%
−2.5 ptssince 2000
from 75.6% in 2000
26.9% rent
Vacancy rate
14.1%
+10.1 ptssince 2009
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.30 people
+1%since 2009
from 2.28 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
4.3%
−11.5 ptssince 2009
from 15.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
40.4%
−4.0 ptssince 2009
from 44.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.7
−37%since 2009
from 4.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
34
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic93.5%(1,209)
Black0.4%(5)
Hispanic / Latino0.6%(8)
Asian4.3%(55)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic87.6%(1,203)
Black0%(0)
Hispanic / Latino5%(69)
Asian4.4%(61)
Other3%(41)
Diversity Score
29
+381%since 2009
from 6 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Colombian0.8%(11)
Venezuelan0.8%(11)
Honduran0.7%(9)
Guatemalan0.6%(8)
Asian origin
Chinese2.7%(37)
Hmong1.7%(24)
Ancestry
Irish15.9%(219)
German15.5%(213)
Italian14.7%(202)
American14.4%(198)
English8.6%(118)
Welsh2%(28)
Scottish2%(27)
British1.6%(22)
Polish0.7%(10)
Swiss0.2%(3)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
26.3%
+13.1 ptssince 2000
from 13.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
92.1%
+15.0 ptssince 2000
from 77.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
6.1%
+3.6 ptssince 2000
from 2.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.8 min
+84%since 2000
from 13.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
92.4%
−4.2 ptssince 2009
from 96.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
2.8%
+2.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
2.1%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.0%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.5%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 6.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
2.2%
−7.3 ptssince 2011
from 9.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
64.5%
+3.7 ptssince 2011
from 60.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
73.4%
+3.8 ptssince 2020
from 69.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
24.2%
+2.6 ptssince 2009
from 21.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
48.2%
+17.6 ptssince 2009
from 30.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.8%
+5.5 ptssince 2009
from 43.4% in 2009
Female
51.2%
−5.5 ptssince 2009
from 56.6% in 2009
Foreign born
3.9%
+3.7 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.1%
−2.1 ptssince 2009
from 8.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
23.7%
+3.7 ptssince 2012
from 20.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
7.6%
−1.9 ptssince 2013
from 9.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
77.1%
+21.0 ptssince 2017
from 56.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
85.6%
+12.9 ptssince 2020
from 72.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
92.6%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 92.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
93.5%
+7.5 ptssince 2016
from 86.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
4.6%
+4.4 ptssince 2016
from 0.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married31.2%(174)
Married54.7%(305)
Widowed0.9%(5)
Divorced13.3%(74)
Women 15+
Never married31.6%(202)
Married41.6%(266)
Widowed13.1%(84)
Divorced13.6%(87)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
7.6%
−1.9 ptssince 2013
from 9.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
60.8%
+15.1 ptssince 2020
from 45.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
12.7%
−6.8 ptssince 2020
from 19.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
17.5%
−21.4 ptssince 2020
from 38.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
12.2%
−3.2 ptssince 2020
from 15.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
4.1%
−2.1 ptssince 2020
from 6.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
72.9%
+12.4 ptssince 2020
from 60.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
29.6%
−24.3 ptssince 2020
from 53.9% 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)44.1%(30)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)0%(0)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era8.8%(6)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War0%(0)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 68 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
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RUTHERFORD COLLEGE VS
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Rutherford College, North Carolina?

Rutherford College, North Carolina has about 1,374 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Rutherford College, North Carolina?

The typical household in Rutherford College, North Carolina earns about $67,500 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Rutherford College, North Carolina expensive?

In Rutherford College, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $185,600, and the typical rent is about $853 a month.

How educated are people in Rutherford College, North Carolina?

About 26.3% of adults age 25 and over in Rutherford College, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Rutherford College, North Carolina?

About 7.7% of people in Rutherford College, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Rutherford College, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Rutherford College, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 248 residents, a change of about 22 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →