United States › North Carolina › Valdese CITY
Valdese North Carolina · 4,712 residents (2025 est.) · 7.86 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
Valdese is a city of 4,704 people in North Carolina. At a median age of 52.6, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Households here earn about 30% less than in North Carolina as a whole. Median rent is $665 a month. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $209,800. Households take in $50,740 at the median, 38% less than the US figure.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 52.6
US median: 38.9
Average education
37% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 43%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 4,485 in 2000
4,712 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 575 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 39.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
4K 4K 4K 5K 5K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Valdese Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $50,740
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,617 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $18,965 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 11.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.469 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 8.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 8.6%
Transportation & warehousing 1.2%
Education & health services 0.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$209,800
+43%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $80,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$665
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $354 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 64.4% in 2000
27.1% rent
from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
1.93 people
−17%since 2009
from 2.32 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 21.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 48.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.4 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 88.9%(3,986)
Hispanic / Latino 4.9%(220)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 86.2%(4,057)
Hispanic / Latino 5.2%(246)
from 28 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
+ 6 more ancestry groups with data from 19.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 70.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 6.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 83.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 9.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 10.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 60.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 70.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 21.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 31.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 8.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 18.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 11.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 74.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 91.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 86.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 99.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 11.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 52.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 13.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 22.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 22.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 68.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 40.8% 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) 25.8%(79)
Gulf War (1990s) 23.9%(73)
Share of the 306 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
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Valdese, North Carolina? Valdese, North Carolina has about 4,704 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Valdese, North Carolina? The typical household in Valdese, North Carolina earns about $50,740 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Valdese, North Carolina expensive? In Valdese, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $209,800, and the typical rent is about $665 a month.
How educated are people in Valdese, North Carolina? About 37.2% of adults age 25 and over in Valdese, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Valdese, North Carolina? About 12.8% of people in Valdese, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Valdese, North Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Valdese, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 837 residents, a change of about 22 percent over that period.
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