COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Ashe County

North Carolina · 22,209 residents · 426 sq mi

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The short version

Ashe County is a county of 22,209 people in North Carolina. 83% of homes are owner-occupied. At a median age of 38.7, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 20% national rate. Households here earn about 29% less than in North Carolina as a whole. Median home value sits at $57,200.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 38.7

US median: 33.0

Less educated

8% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 13%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

22,209

−9%vs 2000

vs 24,384 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

38.7

−8%vs 2000

vs 42.1 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

426 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202427K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 55.1%(1,123)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 95.6%(1,237)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 146.8%(1,507)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 196.8%(1,512)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 246.1%(1,344)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3414.5%(3,219)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4414.7%(3,263)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5412.4%(2,745)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 6411.1%(2,456)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 749.6%(2,127)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 845.7%(1,269)

US avg: 4%

85 and over1.8%(407)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$18,951

−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $28,824 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$9,545

−42%vs 2000

vs $16,429 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

18.4%

+5.0 ptsvs 2000

vs 13.5% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$57,200

−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $86,800 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$265

−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $375 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

82.7%

+1.7 ptsvs 2000

vs 81.0% in 2000

17.3% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic96.1%(23,440)

Black0.6%(155)

Hispanic / Latino2.4%(590)

Asian0.2%(57)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic98.8%(21,946)

Black0.5%(118)

Hispanic / Latino0.6%(131)

Asian0.2%(50)

Other0.4%(95)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Mexican4.5%(1,212)

Puerto Rican0.5%(127)

Cuban0.4%(121)

South American0.3%(74)

Central American0.2%(60)

Honduran0.1%(36)

Dominican0.1%(33)

Chilean0.1%(31)

Colombian0.1%(25)

Guatemalan0.1%(22)

Ecuadorian0.1%(18)

Salvadoran0%(2)

Asian origin

Vietnamese0.3%(77)

Chinese0.1%(17)

Korean0.1%(16)

Filipino0%(8)

Japanese0%(1)

Ancestry

American31.3%(8,423)

English15.3%(4,133)

Irish9.2%(2,480)

German9%(2,416)

Scottish3.5%(945)

Scotch-Irish3.3%(894)

Italian2.6%(690)

French1%(258)

Polish0.9%(251)

Welsh0.7%(190)

Norwegian0.7%(184)

Dutch0.7%(179)

+ 17 more ancestry groups with data

Swedish0.6%(167)

Subsaharan African0.5%(129)

British0.3%(90)

Danish0.2%(61)

Russian0.2%(50)

Swiss0.1%(40)

Austrian0.1%(34)

Romanian0.1%(32)

French Canadian0.1%(27)

Lithuanian0.1%(26)

Hungarian0.1%(22)

Czech0.1%(20)

Greek0.1%(16)

Turkish0.1%(16)

West Indian0%(12)

Ukrainian0%(11)

Jamaican0%(1)

RANKED:Largest American population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest Mexican population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

8.1%

−3.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 12.1% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

55.6%

−13.0 ptsvs 2000

vs 68.6% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

3.1%

−0.8 ptsvs 2000

vs 3.9% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

22.8 min

+24%vs 2000

vs 18.3 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married24.8%(2,837)

Married63.7%(7,297)

Widowed3.6%(409)

Divorced8%(918)

Women 15+

Never married17.6%(2,099)

Married56.5%(6,754)

Widowed12%(1,430)

Divorced14%(1,672)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

9.8%

−8.3 ptssince 2013

from 18.1% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

43.5%

−2.1 ptssince 2020

from 45.6% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

21.5%

−1.4 ptssince 2020

from 22.9% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

29.5%

+2.0 ptssince 2020

from 27.5% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

21.0%

+3.3 ptssince 2020

from 17.7% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

2.5%

−0.2 ptssince 2020

from 2.7% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

63.3%

−3.8 ptssince 2020

from 67.1% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

46.5%

+4.9 ptssince 2020

from 41.6% 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)16.9%(251)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)16.9%(250)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era50.3%(746)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War4.2%(62)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0%(0)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,482 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.

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