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COUNTY · 2010 ACS

Ashe County

North Carolina · 27,281 residents · 426 sq mi
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The short version

Ashe County is a county of 27,281 people in North Carolina. At a median age of 45.5, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 78% of homes are owner-occupied. 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The foreign-born share is 3%. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 24%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Older
median age 45.5
US median: 37.2
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 33%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

27,281
+12%since 2000
from 24,384 in 2000
1990 – 2025
45.5
+8%since 2000
from 42.1 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
426 sq mi
Population, 19902024
22K23K25K26K28K19902000201020202024Ashe County
202427K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 55.3%(1,452)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 95.2%(1,421)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 145.7%(1,544)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 195.2%(1,426)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 244.5%(1,229)
US avg: 7%
25 to 3410.9%(2,963)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 4412.5%(3,417)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5415%(4,100)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 6415.5%(4,228)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 7411.5%(3,127)
US avg: 7%
75 to 846.3%(1,712)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over2.4%(662)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$34,538
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,824 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
$20,350
+24%since 2000
from $16,429 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
16.1%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 17.1% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
17.8%
+4.4 ptssince 2000
from 13.5% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
0.447
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Retail trade18.2%
US avg: 10.9%
Information15.5%
US avg: 11.5%
Wholesale trade11.2%
US avg: 7.2%
Other services5.9%
US avg: 7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing4.5%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction4.2%
US avg: 1.4%
Finance & insurance2.9%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration2.8%
US avg: 4.9%
Professional, scientific, technical2.2%
US avg: 4.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.8%
US avg: 2.4%
Transportation & warehousing1.6%
US avg: 3.1%
Education & health services0.7%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.3%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$145,700
+33%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $86,800 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
$542
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $375 in 2000
US average: $853
77.9%
−3.1 ptssince 2000
from 81.0% in 2000
22.1% rent
29.2%
+3.3 ptssince 2009
from 25.9% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
2.23 people
+1%since 2009
from 2.20 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
24.7%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 24.8% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
39.2%
+2.3 ptssince 2009
from 36.9% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
4.2
+7%since 2009
from 3.9 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-Hispanic96.1%(23,440)
Black0.6%(155)
Hispanic / Latino2.4%(590)
Asian0.2%(57)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic93.2%(25,420)
Black0.5%(148)
Hispanic / Latino4.8%(1,311)
Asian0.4%(105)
Other0.3%(92)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican4.1%(1,086)
Cuban0.1%(27)
Ancestry
American37.3%(9,999)
German11.3%(3,017)
English11%(2,956)
Irish8.4%(2,239)
Scotch-Irish4.9%(1,317)
Scottish2.4%(640)
Italian1.9%(502)
French1.2%(309)
Dutch1.1%(307)
Welsh0.6%(150)
Polish0.4%(105)
Norwegian0.4%(96)
+ 16 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish0.3%(87)
Lithuanian0.2%(49)
Greek0.2%(48)
Canadian0.1%(37)
Hungarian0.1%(34)
Portuguese0.1%(25)
Russian0.1%(25)
Swiss0.1%(25)
British0.1%(22)
Danish0.1%(19)
Jamaican0%(13)
Armenian0%(10)
Belgian0%(10)
Czech0%(9)
Section 05

Education

17.2%
+5.1 ptssince 2000
from 12.1% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
76.8%
+8.1 ptssince 2000
from 68.6% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
6.1%
+2.2 ptssince 2000
from 3.9% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

25.0 min
+36%since 2000
from 18.3 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
78.3%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 79.4% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
17.7%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 16.7% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
0.0%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
3.0%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
0.4%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
7.5%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

11.8%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 11.2% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
24.7%
+1.2 ptssince 2009
from 23.5% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

49.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 49.1% in 2009
50.8%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 50.9% in 2009
3.4%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 3.0% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
10.5%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
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).

9.8%
−8.3 ptssince 2013
from 18.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
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%
29.5%
+2.0 ptssince 2020
from 27.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Ashe County, North Carolina?

Ashe County, North Carolina has about 27,281 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Ashe County, North Carolina earns about $34,538 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Ashe County, North Carolina expensive?

In Ashe County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $145,700, and the typical rent is about $542 a month.

How educated are people in Ashe County, North Carolina?

About 17.2% of adults age 25 and over in Ashe County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

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

About 17.8% of people in Ashe County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Ashe County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Ashe County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 5,072 residents, a change of about 23 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 →