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COUNTY

Alleghany County

North Carolina · 11,479 residents (2025 est.) · 235 sq mi
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The short version

Alleghany County is a county of 11,174 people in North Carolina. At a median age of 52.6, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Households here earn about 35% less than in North Carolina as a whole. Median rent is $675 a month. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $214,800.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 52.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 36%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
11,174
+5%since 2000
from 10,677 in 2000
11,479 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
48 / sq mi
+2%since 2009
from 46 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
52.6
+22%since 2000
from 43.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
235 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
9K10K10K11K11K19902000201020202024Alleghany County
202411K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 53.8%(420)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95%(558)
US avg: 6%
10 to 144.3%(481)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 194.7%(529)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244.4%(487)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3410.3%(1,147)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 449.3%(1,035)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.9%(1,332)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6415.7%(1,750)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7418.6%(2,074)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 849.6%(1,072)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.6%(289)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$47,172
−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,244 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$33,300
+88%since 2000
from $17,691 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
31.7%
+16.2 ptssince 2009
from 15.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
16.0%
−1.2 ptssince 2000
from 17.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.490
+3%since 2010
from 0.476 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade12.6%
US avg: 9.9%
Information11.4%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade10.2%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services7.9%
US avg: 6.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing7.1%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction6.5%
US avg: 1.2%
Public administration4.4%
US avg: 4.8%
Finance & insurance3.5%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical2.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Arts, entertainment, food1.8%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services1%
US avg: 0.9%
Transportation & warehousing0.8%
US avg: 2.2%
Manufacturing0.6%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$214,800
+36%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $86,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$675
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $363 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
74.4%
−4.5 ptssince 2000
from 78.9% in 2000
25.6% rent
Vacancy rate
33.7%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 33.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.11 people
+4%since 2009
from 2.03 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
19.8%
−6.4 ptssince 2009
from 26.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
29.7%
−11.3 ptssince 2009
from 41.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.6
+13%since 2009
from 4.0 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
54
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%(9,932)
Black1.1%(118)
Hispanic / Latino5%(530)
Asian0.2%(21)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic83.9%(9,370)
Black1.6%(178)
Hispanic / Latino11.4%(1,274)
Asian0.5%(52)
Other2.7%(300)
Diversity Score
35
−7%since 2009
from 38 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
18
+11%since 2020
from 16 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican8.4%(934)
Cuban1.1%(123)
Puerto Rican1.1%(120)
Salvadoran0.4%(40)
Guatemalan0.2%(25)
Dominican0.2%(24)
Colombian0.1%(8)
Asian origin
Pakistani0.5%(52)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(5)
Ancestry
American22%(2,456)
English15.6%(1,740)
German8.8%(978)
Irish7.8%(875)
Scottish3%(336)
Italian1.4%(162)
Scotch-Irish1.4%(161)
Hungarian1.4%(152)
Polish1.1%(128)
Dutch1.1%(120)
French0.8%(90)
Swedish0.5%(52)
+ 10 more ancestry groups with data
Swiss0.4%(47)
Welsh0.2%(24)
Ukrainian0.2%(22)
British0.2%(18)
Norwegian0.2%(17)
Canadian0.1%(10)
Serbian0%(2)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
23.6%
+11.9 ptssince 2000
from 11.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
83.2%
+15.2 ptssince 2000
from 68.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
7.8%
+4.3 ptssince 2000
from 3.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
26.5 min
+62%since 2000
from 16.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
75.5%
+11.5 ptssince 2009
from 64.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
12.4%
−15.6 ptssince 2009
from 28.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.9%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
10.6%
+5.0 ptssince 2009
from 5.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.6%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 1.3% 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
6.0%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 6.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.7%
−6.7 ptssince 2011
from 10.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
47.5%
−7.7 ptssince 2011
from 55.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
63.6%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 64.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
11.8%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 11.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
33.3%
+10.1 ptssince 2009
from 23.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.4%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 49.9% in 2009
Female
50.6%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 50.1% in 2009
Foreign born
5.1%
−9.1 ptssince 2009
from 14.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
8.1%
−3.0 ptssince 2009
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
16.7%
−2.0 ptssince 2012
from 18.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
13.8%
−6.0 ptssince 2013
from 19.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
80.5%
+11.9 ptssince 2017
from 68.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
90.6%
+8.3 ptssince 2020
from 82.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
90.4%
−2.6 ptssince 2020
from 92.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
89.8%
−2.7 ptssince 2016
from 92.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
9.4%
+2.2 ptssince 2016
from 7.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married14.5%(685)
Married65.7%(3,103)
Widowed3.2%(151)
Divorced16.6%(783)
Women 15+
Never married14.5%(724)
Married59.8%(2,985)
Widowed12.7%(636)
Divorced13%(648)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
13.8%
−6.0 ptssince 2013
from 19.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
40.7%
+3.1 ptssince 2020
from 37.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
19.1%
−3.9 ptssince 2020
from 23.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
34.0%
+3.8 ptssince 2020
from 30.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
21.4%
−2.2 ptssince 2020
from 23.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.9%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 3.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
56.1%
−4.1 ptssince 2020
from 60.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
50.5%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 49.0% 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)27.8%(211)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)20.5%(156)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era39.2%(298)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War1.3%(10)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 760 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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Head to head

Compare Alleghany County to nearby counties

ALLEGHANY COUNTY VS
Grayson County
Income$47,730+1%
Home value$150,100−30%
Population15,230+33%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ALLEGHANY COUNTY VS
Galax
Income$38,675−18%
Home value$141,300−34%
Population6,670−42%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ALLEGHANY COUNTY VS
Wilkes County
Income$51,721+10%
Home value$168,800−21%
Population66,233+477%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ALLEGHANY COUNTY VS
Ashe County
Income$56,866+21%
Home value$243,100+13%
Population27,514+140%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Alleghany County, North Carolina?

Alleghany County, North Carolina has about 11,174 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Alleghany County, North Carolina earns about $47,172 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Alleghany County, North Carolina expensive?

In Alleghany County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $214,800, and the typical rent is about $675 a month.

How educated are people in Alleghany County, North Carolina?

About 23.6% of adults age 25 and over in Alleghany County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

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

About 16.0% of people in Alleghany County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Alleghany County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Alleghany County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,584 residents, a change of about 17 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 →