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
median household income $67,864, 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
Unique to this place
What stands out about Catawba County
What changed most since 1990
Poverty rate7.1% → 12.7%(+5.6 pts)US over the same years: −0.8 pts
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
Over time
Catawba County, decade by decade
Catawba County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
118,412
$70,149
$149,524
14.2%
23.9
2000
141,685
$73,843
$173,239
17.0%
39.4
2010
154,358
$62,555
$187,446
19.4%
47.0
2020
160,610
$66,286
$189,320
23.1%
57.1
2024
163,573
$67,864
$241,600
26.1%
57.5
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
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.
