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COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Burke County

North Carolina · 89,148 residents · 506 sq mi
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The short version

With 89,148 people, Burke County is a county in North Carolina. 13% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. 74% of homes are owner-occupied. Median home value sits at $77,600. 13,404 more people live here than in 1990. Renters pay $450 a month at the median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Mid-age
median age 36.9
US median: 35.2
Less educated
13% 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
89,148
+18%since 1990
from 75,744 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
36.9
+5%since 1990
from 35.2 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
506 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
74K79K83K88K92K19902000201020202024Burke County
202488K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 56.2%(5,509)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 96.8%(6,050)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147%(6,239)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 197%(6,216)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 246%(5,317)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3414.1%(12,530)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4415.6%(13,878)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5413.8%(12,343)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 6410.2%(9,080)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 747.5%(6,693)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 844.4%(3,926)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.5%(1,367)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$35,629
+4%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $25,879 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$17,397
+50%since 1990
from $11,604 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
10.7%
+0.6 ptssince 1990
from 10.1% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$77,600
+13%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $52,200 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$450
+5%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $326 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
74.1%
−0.7 ptssince 1990
from 74.8% in 1990
25.9% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic92.1%(69,781)
Black6.7%(5,055)
Hispanic / Latino0.4%(283)
Asian0.8%(627)
2000
White, non-Hispanic84.9%(75,727)
Black6.7%(5,953)
Hispanic / Latino3.6%(3,180)
Asian3.5%(3,093)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin
Central American3.9%(3,408)
Guatemalan3.2%(2,792)
Mexican2.5%(2,217)
Puerto Rican0.7%(605)
Cuban0.4%(362)
Honduran0.4%(340)
Salvadoran0.3%(244)
Spaniard0.2%(211)
Chilean0.1%(51)
Peruvian0%(36)
+ 4 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Hmong2.3%(2,014)
Chinese0.3%(250)
Filipino0.3%(230)
Laotian0.3%(227)
Thai0.1%(95)
Cambodian0.1%(91)
Asian Indian0.1%(70)
Korean0%(31)
Japanese0%(28)
Taiwanese0%(13)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(18)
Ancestry
American14.8%(12,964)
English12.1%(10,606)
German11.1%(9,746)
Irish9.4%(8,241)
Scottish2.7%(2,360)
Scotch-Irish1.9%(1,628)
Italian1.8%(1,609)
Polish1.5%(1,299)
Dutch0.9%(754)
French0.8%(718)
Norwegian0.5%(432)
British0.4%(329)
+ 33 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh0.3%(244)
Greek0.3%(222)
Swedish0.2%(150)
West Indian0.1%(131)
Arab0.1%(119)
Hungarian0.1%(119)
Swiss0.1%(100)
Haitian0.1%(87)
Romanian0.1%(75)
Danish0.1%(62)
Russian0.1%(59)
Ghanaian0.1%(59)
Canadian0.1%(54)
Austrian0%(41)
Egyptian0%(40)
Czech0%(40)
Lebanese0%(36)
Ukrainian0%(34)
Moroccan0%(31)
Israeli0%(26)
Belgian0%(24)
Barbadian0%(18)
Slovak0%(14)
Syrian0%(12)
Brazilian0%(10)
Latvian0%(8)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
12.8%
+2.2 ptssince 1990
from 10.6% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
67.6%
+7.5 ptssince 1990
from 60.1% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
3.9%
+0.4 ptssince 1990
from 3.6% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
13.2 min
−21%since 1990
from 16.7 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 married25.7%(9,093)
Married62.5%(22,141)
Widowed2.5%(898)
Divorced9.3%(3,278)
Women 15+
Never married16.1%(5,768)
Married61.6%(22,081)
Widowed11.6%(4,173)
Divorced10.7%(3,846)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
11.0%
−5.7 ptssince 2013
from 16.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
49.0%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 49.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
15.6%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 15.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
24.1%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 24.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
21.0%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 21.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.2%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 3.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
62.0%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 62.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
42.0%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 42.8% 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)19.1%(873)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)13.9%(634)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era42.4%(1,931)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.1%(232)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.6%(28)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 4,559 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 Burke County

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Pop 86,949
Talladega County
Pop 81,603
Garland County
Pop 99,695
Cullman County
Pop 94,009
Places similar to Burke County
Head to head

Compare Burke County to nearby counties

BURKE COUNTY VS
Caldwell County
Income$56,425+58%
Home value$192,200+148%
Population81,105−9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BURKE COUNTY VS
McDowell County
Income$57,168+60%
Home value$171,100+120%
Population45,198−49%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BURKE COUNTY VS
Avery County
Income$61,428+72%
Home value$265,800+243%
Population18,110−80%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BURKE COUNTY VS
Rutherford County
Income$51,410+44%
Home value$201,800+160%
Population65,745−26%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Burke County, North Carolina?

Burke County, North Carolina has about 89,148 residents according to the 2000 Census.

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

The typical household in Burke County, North Carolina earns about $35,629 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Burke County, North Carolina expensive?

In Burke County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $77,600, and the typical rent is about $450 a month.

How educated are people in Burke County, North Carolina?

About 12.8% of adults age 25 and over in Burke County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

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

About 10.7% of people in Burke County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Burke County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Burke County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 13,404 residents, a change of about 18 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 →