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COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Catawba County

North Carolina · 141,685 residents · 401 sq mi
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The short version

Catawba County is home to 141,685 people in North Carolina. 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. 23,273 more people live here than in 1990. Owners hold 73% of the housing stock. Home values have risen by half since 1990, reaching $95,100. Poverty is uncommon here, at 9.1% of residents.

At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $42,589
Mid-age
median age 36.1
US median: 35.2
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
141,685
+20%since 1990
from 118,412 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
36.1
+5%since 1990
from 34.3 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
401 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
114K127K141K155K168K19902000201020202024Catawba County
2024164K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 56.5%(9,264)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 97.1%(10,020)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.8%(9,637)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 196.4%(9,003)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 246.3%(8,974)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3415.1%(21,400)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4416%(22,664)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5414%(19,863)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 649.5%(13,435)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 746.8%(9,625)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 844.2%(6,010)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.3%(1,790)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$40,536
+5%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $29,228 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$20,358
+48%since 1990
from $13,764 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
9.1%
+2.0 ptssince 1990
from 7.1% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$95,100
+16%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $62,300 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$525
+7%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $371 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
72.5%
−0.3 ptssince 1990
from 72.8% in 1990
27.5% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic89.8%(106,382)
Black9%(10,673)
Hispanic / Latino0.6%(687)
Asian0.7%(854)
2000
White, non-Hispanic82.1%(116,326)
Black8.3%(11,751)
Hispanic / Latino5.6%(7,886)
Asian2.9%(4,100)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

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
17.0%
+2.8 ptssince 1990
from 14.2% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
74.8%
+8.1 ptssince 1990
from 66.7% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
4.7%
+1.4 ptssince 1990
from 3.3% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
13.1 min
−17%since 1990
from 15.7 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married26.7%(14,682)
Married62.5%(34,380)
Widowed2.2%(1,195)
Divorced8.6%(4,735)
Women 15+
Never married18.5%(10,665)
Married59.5%(34,276)
Widowed11.5%(6,643)
Divorced10.5%(6,042)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

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
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Head to head

Compare Catawba County to nearby counties

CATAWBA COUNTY VS
Lincoln County
Income$80,016+97%
Home value$321,000+238%
Population98,654−42%
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CATAWBA COUNTY VS
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Home value$211,800+123%
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CATAWBA COUNTY VS
Iredell County
Income$81,419+101%
Home value$321,400+238%
Population211,798+24%
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CATAWBA COUNTY VS
Gaston County
Income$67,478+66%
Home value$266,000+180%
Population246,558+45%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Catawba County, North Carolina?

Catawba County, North Carolina has about 141,685 residents according to the 2000 Census.

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

The typical household in Catawba County, North Carolina earns about $40,536 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 $95,100, and the typical rent is about $525 a month.

How educated are people in Catawba County, North Carolina?

About 17.0% 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 9.1% 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 23,273 residents, a change of about 20 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 →