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COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Avery County

North Carolina · 17,167 residents · 247 sq mi
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The short version

With 17,167 people, Avery County is a county in North Carolina. Owners hold 81% of the housing stock. 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. At a median age of 38.4, this is an older place than the country as a whole. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 22%. Median home value sits at $78,900.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 38.4
US median: 35.2
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
17,167
+15%since 1990
from 14,867 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
38.4
+12%since 1990
from 34.4 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
247 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
15K15K16K17K18K19902000201020202024Avery County
202418K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 54.8%(825)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 95.6%(961)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 145.6%(954)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 196.5%(1,120)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 247.3%(1,247)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3414.8%(2,546)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4415.3%(2,623)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5413.7%(2,357)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 6410.7%(1,836)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 748.7%(1,485)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 845.4%(919)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.7%(294)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$30,627
+14%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $20,403 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$15,176
+56%since 1990
from $9,729 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
15.3%
+0.7 ptssince 1990
from 14.6% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$78,900
+9%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $54,800 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$430
+11%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $293 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
80.6%
−0.4 ptssince 1990
from 81.0% in 1990
19.4% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic98.5%(14,648)
Black0.8%(116)
Hispanic / Latino0.4%(64)
Asian0.2%(30)
2000
White, non-Hispanic93%(15,957)
Black3.5%(598)
Hispanic / Latino2.4%(413)
Asian0.2%(33)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin
Mexican4.3%(761)
Puerto Rican0.5%(81)
Dominican0.3%(59)
Cuban0.3%(53)
Panamanian0.1%(18)
Spaniard0.1%(16)
Uruguayan0.1%(14)
Costa Rican0.1%(12)
Venezuelan0.1%(10)
+ 2 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Korean0.3%(59)
Chinese0.1%(18)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.5%(80)
Ancestry
English12%(2,130)
German11.3%(1,992)
American10.1%(1,783)
Irish8.9%(1,579)
Scotch-Irish6.8%(1,205)
Scottish4.7%(824)
Italian2.1%(366)
Welsh1.9%(340)
French1.3%(232)
Polish0.7%(122)
Austrian0.7%(121)
Danish0.7%(115)
+ 29 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch0.6%(103)
Swedish0.5%(86)
Swiss0.4%(77)
Russian0.4%(68)
British0.4%(63)
Canadian0.3%(55)
Norwegian0.3%(45)
Portuguese0.2%(44)
Arab0.2%(42)
Slovene0.1%(25)
Ukrainian0.1%(24)
Greek0.1%(23)
Lebanese0.1%(21)
Slovak0.1%(20)
Finnish0.1%(19)
Romanian0.1%(18)
Moroccan0.1%(15)
Nigerian0.1%(15)
Turkish0.1%(14)
Iranian0%(5)
Haitian0%(3)
Czech0%(1)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
14.5%
+2.1 ptssince 1990
from 12.4% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
70.6%
+8.4 ptssince 1990
from 62.2% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
5.2%
+0.5 ptssince 1990
from 4.7% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
15.6 min
−29%since 1990
from 21.9 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married25%(1,903)
Married63.5%(4,843)
Widowed2.1%(159)
Divorced9.4%(718)
Women 15+
Never married16.8%(1,139)
Married60.2%(4,089)
Widowed14.1%(961)
Divorced8.9%(604)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
12.5%
−7.8 ptssince 2013
from 20.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
39.4%
−2.8 ptssince 2020
from 42.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
21.7%
−2.4 ptssince 2020
from 24.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
27.4%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 27.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
18.0%
+2.9 ptssince 2020
from 15.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
4.6%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 3.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
60.4%
−3.3 ptssince 2020
from 63.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
42.9%
+2.7 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)18.3%(233)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)35.2%(447)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era42.2%(536)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War1.4%(18)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.9%(11)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,271 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 Avery County

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Pop 18,394
Jasper County
Pop 17,632
Jefferson County
Pop 16,007
Gulf County
Pop 15,943
Places similar to Avery County
Head to head

Compare Avery County to nearby counties

AVERY COUNTY VS
Mitchell County
Income$57,602+88%
Home value$220,100+179%
Population15,062−17%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
AVERY COUNTY VS
Watauga County
Income$51,693+69%
Home value$358,900+355%
Population54,786+203%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
AVERY COUNTY VS
Carter County
Income$50,135+64%
Home value$168,200+113%
Population57,361+217%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
AVERY COUNTY VS
Caldwell County
Income$56,425+84%
Home value$192,200+144%
Population81,105+348%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Avery County, North Carolina?

Avery County, North Carolina has about 17,167 residents according to the 2000 Census.

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

The typical household in Avery County, North Carolina earns about $30,627 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Avery County, North Carolina expensive?

In Avery County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $78,900, and the typical rent is about $430 a month.

How educated are people in Avery County, North Carolina?

About 14.5% of adults age 25 and over in Avery County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

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

About 15.3% of people in Avery County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Avery County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Avery County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,300 residents, a change of about 15 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 →