CensusEasy
COUNTY

Catawba County

North Carolina · 170,172 residents (2025 est.) · 401.374 sq mi
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The short version

Catawba County has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $67,864. Population has grown 15% since 2000. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $241,600.

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
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

PEP 2025 EST:170,172 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
114K127K141K155K168K1990201020202024Catawba 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%
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
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
65
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Catawba County on RentDataNow
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)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest American population · Largest Irish population · Largest Mexican population
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%
Self-employed
10.7%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
36.1%
−23.2 ptssince 2009
from 59.4% 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%
−42.3 ptssince 2009
from 48.6% 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%
−73.5 ptssince 2013
from 84.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
88.5%
+13.5 ptssince 2017
from 75.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
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
Drill deeper

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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.

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Explore from here

34 census tracts (top 20 by population)
Census Tract 111.02Census Tract 113Census Tract 117.02Census Tract 106Census Tract 118.01Census Tract 101.01Census Tract 103.02Census Tract 118.02Census Tract 115.01Census Tract 104.03Census Tract 112Census Tract 102.04Census Tract 116.02Census Tract 103.01Census Tract 116.01Census Tract 117.01Census Tract 104.02Census Tract 103.03Census Tract 102.01Census Tract 103.04
9 ZIP codes
ZIP 28601ZIP 28602ZIP 28658ZIP 28613ZIP 28650ZIP 28610ZIP 28673ZIP 28609ZIP 28682
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →