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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Burke County

North Carolina · 87,570 residents · 506 sq mi
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The short version

Burke County is a county of 87,570 people in North Carolina. 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. At a median age of 44.2, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $120,600. 72% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 5%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 44.2
US median: 38.8
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
87,570
−2%since 2000
from 89,148 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
44.2
+20%since 2000
from 36.9 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
506 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
74K79K83K88K92K19902000201020202024Burke County
202488K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 54.9%(4,331)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.4%(4,722)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146%(5,284)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 195.9%(5,138)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.6%(4,930)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3411.8%(10,322)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.2%(9,768)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5413.5%(11,827)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6414.8%(12,960)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7412.2%(10,709)
US avg: 10%
75 to 846.4%(5,647)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.2%(1,932)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$43,915
−18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,629 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$25,053
+44%since 2000
from $17,397 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
26.5%
+10.5 ptssince 2009
from 16.0% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
18.5%
+7.9 ptssince 2000
from 10.7% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade24.3%
US avg: 10%
Information10.5%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade5.2%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance3.5%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical2.9%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing2.6%
US avg: 2.5%
Other services2.5%
US avg: 6.6%
Public administration1.5%
US avg: 4.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction1%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food0.9%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.6%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$120,600
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $77,600 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$668
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $450 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
71.7%
−2.4 ptssince 2000
from 74.1% in 2000
28.3% rent
Persons per household
2.45 people
−3%since 2009
from 2.52 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
2.7
−5%since 2009
from 2.9 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-Hispanic84.9%(75,727)
Black6.7%(5,953)
Hispanic / Latino3.6%(3,180)
Asian3.5%(3,093)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic78.4%(68,664)
Black5.4%(4,762)
Hispanic / Latino8.2%(7,184)
Asian3.6%(3,150)
Other2.6%(2,281)
Segregation Score
32
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.7%(2,425)
Central American2.6%(2,326)
Guatemalan1.9%(1,728)
Honduran0.3%(294)
Salvadoran0.2%(212)
Puerto Rican0.2%(210)
Cuban0.1%(69)
Chilean0%(38)
Dominican0%(19)
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data
Asian origin
Hmong2.6%(2,333)
Filipino0.2%(184)
Chinese0.2%(177)
Laotian0.2%(164)
Korean0.2%(160)
Bangladeshi0.1%(63)
Vietnamese0.1%(58)
Japanese0.1%(57)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(28)
Ancestry
American24.3%(21,921)
German12.2%(11,036)
Irish9.3%(8,346)
English9.1%(8,182)
Scottish3%(2,699)
Scotch-Irish2.4%(2,166)
Italian2%(1,763)
Polish1.1%(1,025)
French1.1%(953)
Dutch0.8%(695)
British0.6%(504)
+ 27 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.4%(405)
Ethiopian0.4%(332)
Welsh0.4%(324)
Swedish0.3%(307)
Palestinian0.2%(181)
Danish0.2%(149)
Swiss0.1%(114)
Canadian0.1%(100)
Russian0.1%(96)
Greek0.1%(85)
Czech0.1%(71)
Austrian0.1%(65)
Belgian0.1%(62)
Finnish0.1%(53)
Portuguese0.1%(48)
Hungarian0.1%(46)
Ukrainian0%(34)
Slovene0%(29)
Lebanese0%(27)
Slovak0%(25)
Guyanese0%(10)
Serbian0%(3)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
16.7%
+4.0 ptssince 2000
from 12.8% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
82.4%
+14.8 ptssince 2000
from 67.6% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
6.0%
+2.1 ptssince 2000
from 3.9% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.6 min
+72%since 2000
from 13.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
85.7%
+2.8 ptssince 2009
from 82.9% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
4.5%
−2.9 ptssince 2009
from 7.4% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
6.6%
−4.5 ptssince 2011
from 11.1% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
56.0%
−2.7 ptssince 2011
from 58.7% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
68.2%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
28.2%
+1.9 ptssince 2009
from 26.3% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.8%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.7% in 2009
Female
50.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 50.3% in 2009
Foreign born
5.1%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
11.9%
−4.8 ptssince 2013
from 16.7% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
84.5%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
88.9%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married33.2%(12,364)
Married54.4%(20,232)
Widowed3.6%(1,342)
Divorced8.8%(3,280)
Women 15+
Never married22.3%(8,351)
Married51.9%(19,407)
Widowed11.1%(4,137)
Divorced14.7%(5,511)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
11.9%
−4.8 ptssince 2013
from 16.7% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
49.1%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
15.5%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
24.7%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
21.9%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
3.6%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
62.0%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
42.8%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)7.4%(402)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)14.7%(803)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era47%(2,572)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War10.9%(595)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II2.6%(144)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 5,467 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

Bulloch County
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+28%
Home value$192,200+59%
Population81,105−9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BURKE COUNTY VS
McDowell County
Income$57,168+30%
Home value$171,100+42%
Population45,198−49%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BURKE COUNTY VS
Avery County
Income$61,428+40%
Home value$265,800+120%
Population18,110−80%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BURKE COUNTY VS
Rutherford County
Income$51,410+17%
Home value$201,800+67%
Population65,745−26%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Burke County, North Carolina?

Burke County, North Carolina has about 87,570 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Burke County, North Carolina earns about $43,915 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 $120,600, and the typical rent is about $668 a month.

How educated are people in Burke County, North Carolina?

About 16.7% 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 18.5% 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 11,826 residents, a change of about 16 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 →