CensusEasy
COUNTY · 2010 ACS

Alexander County

North Carolina · 37,198 residents · 260 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Part of the Hickory metro area
Compare
The short version

Alexander County is a county of 37,198 people in North Carolina. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 12% of adults. 78% of homes are owner-occupied. The typical home is worth $119,400. The median age is 40.8, about 4 years above the US median. The foreign-born share is 3%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Older
median age 40.8
US median: 37.2
Less educated
12% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
37,198
+11%since 2000
from 33,603 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
40.8
+11%since 2000
from 36.6 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
260 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
27K29K32K35K38K19902000201020202024Alexander County
202436K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 55.9%(2,209)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 96.3%(2,337)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 146.4%(2,388)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 196.4%(2,380)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 244.9%(1,809)
US avg: 7%
25 to 3411.8%(4,390)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 4414.3%(5,335)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5415.5%(5,777)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 6413.3%(4,946)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 749.1%(3,397)
US avg: 7%
75 to 844.6%(1,714)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over1.4%(516)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$40,014
−18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $38,684 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$20,716
+12%since 2000
from $18,507 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
18.7%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 19.1% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
Poverty rate
15.0%
+6.6 ptssince 2000
from 8.5% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.446
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Retail trade31.2%
US avg: 10.9%
Information10.1%
US avg: 11.5%
Wholesale trade8.1%
US avg: 7.2%
Finance & insurance4.5%
US avg: 5.1%
Professional, scientific, technical4%
US avg: 4.2%
Transportation & warehousing3.7%
US avg: 3.1%
Other services2.9%
US avg: 7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.9%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction1.8%
US avg: 1.4%
Public administration1.5%
US avg: 4.9%
Arts, entertainment, food1.4%
US avg: 2.4%
Education & health services0.5%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.2%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$119,400
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $84,100 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$569
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $439 in 2000
US average: $853
Owner-occupied
77.6%
−2.9 ptssince 2000
from 80.5% in 2000
22.4% rent
Vacancy rate
15.5%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 14.7% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
Persons per household
2.73 people
−1%since 2009
from 2.76 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
Owner cost-burdened
23.5%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 23.8% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
Renter cost-burdened
39.2%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 38.1% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
Afford Score
3.0
+6%since 2009
from 2.8 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.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic91%(30,562)
Black4.6%(1,536)
Hispanic / Latino2.5%(841)
Asian1%(347)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic87.8%(32,671)
Black5.4%(2,025)
Hispanic / Latino4.3%(1,601)
Asian1%(357)
Other1.9%(699)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.8%(1,385)
Puerto Rican0.1%(46)
Costa Rican0.1%(35)
Spaniard0%(12)
Ancestry
German15.5%(5,703)
American15.3%(5,639)
Irish8.8%(3,234)
English7.9%(2,923)
Scottish3.3%(1,224)
Scotch-Irish3.3%(1,213)
Dutch2.5%(924)
French1.5%(538)
Italian1%(354)
Polish0.5%(183)
Welsh0.4%(157)
British0.3%(116)
+ 18 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.2%(79)
Swedish0.1%(55)
Swiss0.1%(51)
Canadian0.1%(42)
Finnish0.1%(31)
Hungarian0.1%(29)
Ethiopian0.1%(24)
Danish0.1%(23)
Czech0.1%(22)
Armenian0.1%(19)
Russian0%(13)
Ukrainian0%(12)
Slovak0%(11)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
11.8%
+2.5 ptssince 2000
from 9.3% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
75.7%
+7.0 ptssince 2000
from 68.7% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
Graduate degree
3.6%
+0.9 ptssince 2000
from 2.6% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.5 min
+64%since 2000
from 14.9 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
Drive alone to work
82.3%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 82.9% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
Carpooled to work
12.2%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
Public transit
0.4%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
Worked from home
2.8%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
Walked to work
1.7%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
Biked to work
0.1%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
No vehicle available
4.1%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

Self-employed
12.6%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
Management & professional
23.1%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 22.4% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.7%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.6% in 2009
Female
50.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 50.4% in 2009
Foreign born
3.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 3.3% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
Veterans
9.3%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married30%(4,673)
Married54.6%(8,519)
Widowed3.7%(580)
Divorced11.7%(1,826)
Women 15+
Never married22.2%(3,352)
Married53.5%(8,082)
Widowed11.6%(1,755)
Divorced12.7%(1,912)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
8.1%
−7.0 ptssince 2013
from 15.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
49.3%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 48.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
14.0%
−2.6 ptssince 2020
from 16.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
24.8%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 23.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
22.7%
+2.3 ptssince 2020
from 20.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.4%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 2.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
62.1%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 63.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
43.4%
+3.2 ptssince 2020
from 40.2% 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)17.6%(377)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)16.5%(353)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era41.7%(892)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War1.7%(36)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.9%(41)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 2,137 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

Places similar to Alexander County

Jefferson County
Pop 36,147
Lawrence County
Pop 33,843
Latah County
Pop 41,842
Marion County
Pop 36,382
Places similar to Alexander County
Head to head

Compare Alexander County to nearby counties

ALEXANDER COUNTY VS
Catawba County
Income$67,864+70%
Home value$241,600+102%
Population170,172+360%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ALEXANDER COUNTY VS
Iredell County
Income$81,419+103%
Home value$321,400+169%
Population211,798+473%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ALEXANDER COUNTY VS
Caldwell County
Income$56,425+41%
Home value$192,200+61%
Population81,105+119%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ALEXANDER COUNTY VS
Wilkes County
Income$51,721+29%
Home value$168,800+41%
Population66,233+79%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Alexander County, North Carolina?

Alexander County, North Carolina has about 37,198 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Alexander County, North Carolina?

The typical household in Alexander County, North Carolina earns about $40,014 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Alexander County, North Carolina expensive?

In Alexander County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $119,400, and the typical rent is about $569 a month.

How educated are people in Alexander County, North Carolina?

About 11.8% of adults age 25 and over in Alexander County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Alexander County, North Carolina?

About 15.0% of people in Alexander County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Alexander County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Alexander County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 9,654 residents, a change of about 35 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

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

How we source and harmonize this data →