With 1,066 people, West Marion is a city in North Carolina. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 16% of adults. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 49%. The typical home is worth $161,600, having more than doubled since 2000. The median household earns $36,715, about 55% below the national median. 76% were living in the same home a year earlier.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $36,715, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 35.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 45%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about West Marion
What changed most since 1990
Homes owned by their occupants75.4% → 63.3%(−12.1 pts)US over the same years: +0.9 pts
Black share11.2% → 0.6%(−10.6 pts)US over the same years: +0.2 pts
Median household income (2024 dollars)$53,114 → $36,715(−31%)US over the same years: +14%
West Marion's population equals 2.4% of McDowell County's. Its number of households without a car equals 0.6% of the county's. Its number of households earning $100,000 or more equals 0.6% of the county's.
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)34.6%(27)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)7.7%(6)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era53.8%(42)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War0%(0)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 78 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
Over time
West Marion, decade by decade
West Marion population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
1,181
$53,114
$115,923
7.8%
24.8
2000
1,556
$47,638
$111,667
9.7%
21.6
2010
1,348
$60,770
$123,861
19.1%
20.2
2020
1,226
$52,269
$129,082
6.9%
35.7
2024
1,066
$36,715
$161,600
15.7%
29.4
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
