CensusEasy
COUNTY

Catawba County

North Carolina · 170,172 residents (2025 est.) · 401 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Part of the Hickory metro area
Compare
The short version

Catawba County is a county of 163,573 people in North Carolina. 26% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. At a median age of 42.1, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $241,600. 7% of residents were born outside the United States. Owners hold 72% of the housing stock.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
26% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 39%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
163,573
+15%since 2000
from 141,685 in 2000
170,172 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
408 / sq mi
+5%since 2009
from 387 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
42.1
+17%since 2000
from 36.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
401 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
114K127K141K155K168K19902000201020202024Catawba County
2024164K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.3%(8,702)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.9%(9,685)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.4%(10,416)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.4%(10,454)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.1%(9,943)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.2%(19,980)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.6%(18,994)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5413.3%(21,707)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6414.1%(23,081)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411%(18,000)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.9%(9,698)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.8%(2,913)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$67,864
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,536 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$37,462
+84%since 2000
from $20,358 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
45.1%
+21.3 ptssince 2009
from 23.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
12.7%
+3.7 ptssince 2000
from 9.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.459
+4%since 2010
from 0.442 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade26.3%
US avg: 9.9%
Information11.4%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade5.6%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance5.1%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4.3%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services4%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration2.9%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing2.6%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.8%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.4%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$241,600
+39%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $95,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$965
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $525 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
72.2%
−0.4 ptssince 2000
from 72.5% in 2000
27.8% rent
Vacancy rate
9.4%
−2.2 ptssince 2009
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.43 people
−6%since 2009
from 2.58 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
15.9%
−5.4 ptssince 2009
from 21.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
37.3%
−2.2 ptssince 2009
from 39.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.6
+22%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.
Gentrification Score
65
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic82.1%(116,326)
Black8.3%(11,751)
Hispanic / Latino5.6%(7,886)
Asian2.9%(4,100)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic71.9%(117,581)
Black7.7%(12,518)
Hispanic / Latino11.5%(18,786)
Asian4.3%(6,955)
Other4.7%(7,733)
Diversity Score
58
+26%since 2009
from 45 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
28
Unchangedsince 2020
from 28 in 2020
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
Mexican6.2%(10,101)
Puerto Rican1.6%(2,544)
Central American1.4%(2,331)
South American1.2%(1,946)
Guatemalan0.5%(851)
Colombian0.4%(687)
Salvadoran0.4%(652)
Honduran0.2%(379)
Costa Rican0.2%(378)
Argentine0.2%(373)
Ecuadorian0.2%(353)
Spaniard0.2%(266)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Chilean0.1%(203)
Cuban0.1%(167)
Peruvian0.1%(149)
Venezuelan0.1%(106)
Bolivian0%(68)
Dominican0%(63)
Asian origin
Hmong3%(4,979)
Vietnamese0.4%(684)
Mien0.2%(270)
Laotian0.1%(206)
Filipino0.1%(204)
Thai0.1%(194)
Asian Indian0.1%(126)
Korean0.1%(109)
Japanese0%(63)
Chinese0%(55)
Pacific Islander origin
Tongan0%(36)
Chamorro0%(20)
Ancestry
German14.7%(24,068)
English13.2%(21,511)
American11%(17,959)
Irish7.9%(12,968)
Italian2.6%(4,198)
Scottish2.4%(3,901)
Scotch-Irish1.7%(2,820)
French1.5%(2,468)
Polish1.4%(2,222)
Dutch0.9%(1,441)
Welsh0.7%(1,152)
+ 37 more ancestry groups with data
Russian0.5%(880)
Swedish0.5%(740)
Norwegian0.4%(728)
Greek0.3%(466)
Iranian0.3%(456)
British0.3%(455)
Romanian0.1%(207)
Hungarian0.1%(206)
Croatian0.1%(180)
Austrian0.1%(177)
Ukrainian0.1%(177)
Arab0.1%(155)
West Indian0.1%(149)
Danish0.1%(136)
Swiss0.1%(136)
Lebanese0.1%(122)
Slovak0.1%(121)
Portuguese0.1%(112)
Czech0.1%(94)
Finnish0%(76)
Slovene0%(65)
Belgian0%(64)
Brazilian0%(62)
Jamaican0%(58)
Canadian0%(55)
Haitian0%(29)
Latvian0%(28)
Jordanian0%(24)
Ethiopian0%(17)
Armenian0%(13)
Nigerian0%(13)
Turkish0%(5)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
26.1%
+9.1 ptssince 2000
from 17.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
88.2%
+13.4 ptssince 2000
from 74.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
7.7%
+2.9 ptssince 2000
from 4.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
23.4 min
+78%since 2000
from 13.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
79.8%
−5.5 ptssince 2009
from 85.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
10.5%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 9.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.2%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
8.2%
+5.4 ptssince 2009
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.5%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.1%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.2%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 5.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.7%
−5.4 ptssince 2011
from 9.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
60.3%
−3.9 ptssince 2011
from 64.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
71.6%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 72.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
10.7%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
36.1%
+6.8 ptssince 2009
from 29.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.1%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 49.3% in 2009
Female
50.9%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 50.7% in 2009
Foreign born
6.9%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 7.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.3%
−4.6 ptssince 2009
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
13.6%
+0.9 ptssince 2012
from 12.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
10.6%
−5.3 ptssince 2013
from 15.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
88.5%
+13.5 ptssince 2017
from 75.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
94.4%
+4.6 ptssince 2020
from 89.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
90.7%
+3.1 ptssince 2020
from 87.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
87.2%
−1.0 ptssince 2016
from 88.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
8.6%
+0.8 ptssince 2016
from 7.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married32.5%(21,291)
Married55.5%(36,403)
Widowed3.5%(2,286)
Divorced8.5%(5,593)
Women 15+
Never married25.6%(17,740)
Married51.2%(35,396)
Widowed10.6%(7,302)
Divorced12.7%(8,759)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
10.6%
−5.3 ptssince 2013
from 15.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
50.4%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 51.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
15.8%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 15.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
20.7%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 19.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
19.3%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 18.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.6%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 2.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
63.8%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 64.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
37.6%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 36.3% 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)25.3%(2,050)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)21.2%(1,717)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era38.9%(3,153)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.6%(292)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.2%(20)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 8,114 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 Catawba County

Shawnee County
Pop 178,607
Jackson County
Pop 159,552
Pueblo County
Pop 169,277
Penobscot County
Pop 157,967
Places similar to Catawba County
Head to head

Compare Catawba County to nearby counties

CATAWBA COUNTY VS
Lincoln County
Income$80,016+18%
Home value$321,000+33%
Population98,654−42%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CATAWBA COUNTY VS
Alexander County
Income$65,354−4%
Home value$211,800−12%
Population36,958−78%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CATAWBA COUNTY VS
Iredell County
Income$81,419+20%
Home value$321,400+33%
Population211,798+24%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CATAWBA COUNTY VS
Gaston County
Income$67,478−1%
Home value$266,000+10%
Population246,558+45%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Catawba County, North Carolina?

Catawba County, North Carolina has about 163,573 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Catawba County, North Carolina earns about $67,864 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Catawba County, North Carolina expensive?

In Catawba County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $241,600, and the typical rent is about $965 a month.

How educated are people in Catawba County, North Carolina?

About 26.1% of adults age 25 and over in Catawba County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

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

About 12.7% of people in Catawba County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Catawba County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Catawba County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 45,161 residents, a change of about 38 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →