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COUNTY · 2010 ACS

Caldwell County

North Carolina · 83,029 residents · 472 sq mi
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Caldwell County is a county of 83,029 people in North Carolina. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 12% of adults. The typical home is worth $106,900. The median age is 41.3, about 4 years above the US median. The foreign-born share is 2%. 72% of homes are owner-occupied.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Older
median age 41.3
US median: 37.2
Less educated
12% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
83,029
+7%since 2000
from 77,415 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
41.3
+10%since 2000
from 37.5 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
472 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
69K73K77K81K84K19902000201020202024Caldwell County
202481K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 55.6%(4,645)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 96.1%(5,042)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 146.8%(5,619)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 196.7%(5,568)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 245.2%(4,327)
US avg: 7%
25 to 3410.6%(8,806)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 4414.6%(12,093)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5415.4%(12,749)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 6413.7%(11,364)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 749.1%(7,548)
US avg: 7%
75 to 844.7%(3,933)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over1.6%(1,335)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$37,261
−18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,739 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$19,686
+13%since 2000
from $17,353 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
18.6%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 18.2% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
Poverty rate
16.2%
+5.5 ptssince 2000
from 10.7% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.446
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Retail trade27.7%
US avg: 10.9%
Information11.9%
US avg: 11.5%
Wholesale trade7.5%
US avg: 7.2%
Finance & insurance5.2%
US avg: 5.1%
Professional, scientific, technical4.8%
US avg: 4.2%
Transportation & warehousing4.2%
US avg: 3.1%
Other services2.7%
US avg: 7%
Public administration1.7%
US avg: 4.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.1%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction1.1%
US avg: 1.4%
Arts, entertainment, food0.9%
US avg: 2.4%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$106,900
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $79,800 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$569
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $446 in 2000
US average: $853
Owner-occupied
72.0%
−2.9 ptssince 2000
from 74.9% in 2000
28.0% rent
Vacancy rate
15.9%
+1.5 ptssince 2009
from 14.4% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
Persons per household
2.59 people
+2%since 2009
from 2.53 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
Owner cost-burdened
21.3%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 21.8% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
Renter cost-burdened
40.4%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 38.7% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
Afford Score
2.9
+1%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-Hispanic90.8%(70,307)
Black5.4%(4,201)
Hispanic / Latino2.5%(1,927)
Asian0.4%(301)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic88.6%(73,565)
Black4.8%(4,025)
Hispanic / Latino4.6%(3,796)
Asian0.5%(421)
Other1.7%(1,373)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.1%(1,725)
Puerto Rican0.4%(367)
Honduran0.3%(286)
Spaniard0.3%(281)
Salvadoran0.3%(242)
Cuban0.2%(173)
Guatemalan0.2%(161)
Colombian0.2%(124)
Peruvian0.1%(94)
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data
Argentine0%(10)
Ancestry
American18.5%(15,175)
German14.3%(11,709)
Irish10.7%(8,786)
English10.5%(8,590)
Scotch-Irish3%(2,501)
Dutch2.3%(1,927)
Scottish2.2%(1,804)
Italian1.8%(1,470)
French1.1%(943)
Polish0.5%(410)
Welsh0.4%(292)
Swedish0.3%(250)
+ 23 more ancestry groups with data
British0.3%(244)
Danish0.3%(209)
Norwegian0.2%(186)
Russian0.2%(172)
Swiss0.1%(106)
Czech0.1%(68)
Israeli0.1%(64)
Ukrainian0.1%(63)
West Indian0.1%(61)
Finnish0.1%(50)
Lithuanian0.1%(43)
Hungarian0%(40)
Belgian0%(37)
Austrian0%(36)
Slovak0%(29)
Greek0%(27)
Ethiopian0%(27)
Jamaican0%(12)
Armenian0%(11)
Turkish0%(3)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
12.3%
+1.9 ptssince 2000
from 10.4% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
74.6%
+8.4 ptssince 2000
from 66.2% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
Graduate degree
4.5%
+1.4 ptssince 2000
from 3.2% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.5 min
+68%since 2000
from 13.4 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
Drive alone to work
84.6%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 86.0% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
Carpooled to work
10.8%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
Public transit
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
Worked from home
2.4%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
Walked to work
1.2%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
Biked to work
0.2%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
No vehicle available
5.7%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 5.8% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

Self-employed
13.0%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 12.0% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
Management & professional
24.0%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 24.2% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.2% in 2009
Female
50.9%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 50.8% in 2009
Foreign born
2.4%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
Veterans
9.3%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married30.4%(10,142)
Married51.3%(17,097)
Widowed3.6%(1,215)
Divorced14.6%(4,865)
Women 15+
Never married22.3%(7,650)
Married48.2%(16,551)
Widowed12.1%(4,156)
Divorced17.5%(6,013)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
10.5%
−6.7 ptssince 2013
from 17.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
44.2%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 45.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
14.7%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 15.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
24.3%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 23.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
23.2%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 21.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.8%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 2.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
58.0%
−1.2 ptssince 2020
from 59.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
44.4%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 42.7% 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)23.9%(1,044)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)12.7%(557)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era39.8%(1,739)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.1%(224)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.8%(36)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 4,370 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

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Pop 81,603
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Head to head

Compare Caldwell County to nearby counties

CALDWELL COUNTY VS
Burke County
Income$58,592+57%
Home value$185,400+73%
Population88,655+9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CALDWELL COUNTY VS
Alexander County
Income$65,354+75%
Home value$211,800+98%
Population36,958−54%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CALDWELL COUNTY VS
Watauga County
Income$51,693+39%
Home value$358,900+236%
Population54,786−32%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CALDWELL COUNTY VS
Avery County
Income$61,428+65%
Home value$265,800+149%
Population18,110−78%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Caldwell County, North Carolina?

Caldwell County, North Carolina has about 83,029 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Caldwell County, North Carolina earns about $37,261 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Caldwell County, North Carolina expensive?

In Caldwell County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $106,900, and the typical rent is about $569 a month.

How educated are people in Caldwell County, North Carolina?

About 12.3% of adults age 25 and over in Caldwell County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

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

About 16.2% of people in Caldwell County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Caldwell County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Caldwell County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 12,320 residents, a change of about 17 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 →