United States › North Carolina › Avery County COUNTY · 2010 ACS
Avery County North Carolina · 17,797 residents · 247 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
With 17,797 people, Avery County is a county in North Carolina. At a median age of 42.3, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 76% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 4%. Households here earn about 23% less than in North Carolina as a whole. 20% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Older
median age 42.3
US median: 37.2
Less educated
20% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 55%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01
Population & growth from 38.4 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
15K 15K 16K 17K 18K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Avery County Age distribution, 2010
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Section 02
Income & economy $34,918
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,627 in 2000
US average: $52,703
from $15,176 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
from 20.3% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
from 15.3% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Workforce by industry, 2010
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.9%
Professional, scientific, technical 3%
Transportation & warehousing 2.3%
Education & health services 0.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.4%
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$155,100
+55%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $78,900 in 2000
US average: $225,659
$677
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $430 in 2000
US average: $853
from 80.6% in 2000
23.5% rent
from 47.5% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
from 2.28 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
from 22.7% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
from 42.3% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
from 4.2 in 2009
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-Hispanic 93%(15,957)
Hispanic / Latino 2.4%(413)
2010
White, non-Hispanic 90.1%(16,029)
Hispanic / Latino 4.5%(797)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 24 more ancestry groups with data from 14.5% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
from 70.6% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
from 5.2% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.6 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
from 74.4% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
from 17.8% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
from 7.5% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07
Work & employment from 17.6% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
from 31.6% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08
People & community from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 34.1%(2,884)
Women 15+
Never married 22.3%(1,583)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
from 20.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 42.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 24.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 27.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 15.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 63.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
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)
Gulf War (1990s) 35.2%(447)
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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Avery County Head to head
Compare Avery County to nearby counties AVERY COUNTY VS
Mitchell County
Income $57,602 +65%
Home value $220,100 +42%
Population 15,062 −17%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
AVERY COUNTY VS
Watauga County
Income $51,693 +48%
Home value $358,900 +131%
Population 54,786 +203%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
AVERY COUNTY VS
Carter County
Income $50,135 +44%
Home value $168,200 +8%
Population 57,361 +217%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
AVERY COUNTY VS
Caldwell County
Income $56,425 +62%
Home value $192,200 +24%
Population 81,105 +348%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Avery County, North Carolina? Avery County, North Carolina has about 17,797 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Avery County, North Carolina? The typical household in Avery County, North Carolina earns about $34,918 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 $155,100, and the typical rent is about $677 a month.
How educated are people in Avery County, North Carolina? About 20.3% 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 18.1% 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 2,930 residents, a change of about 20 percent over that period.
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