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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Catawba County

North Carolina · 160,610 residents · 401 sq mi
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The short version

Catawba County is a county of 160,610 people in North Carolina. 23% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. At a median age of 42.7, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $156,200. 7% of residents were born outside the United States. Renters pay $754 a month at the median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 42.7
US median: 38.8
Less educated
23% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
160,610
+13%since 2000
from 141,685 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
42.7
+18%since 2000
from 36.1 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
401 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
114K127K141K155K168K19902000201020202024Catawba County
2024164K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.1%(8,171)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.7%(9,087)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146.5%(10,362)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196.6%(10,521)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.8%(9,241)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3411.5%(18,444)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.7%(18,765)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5413.9%(22,345)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6414.4%(23,173)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7411.2%(18,048)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.7%(9,211)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2%(3,242)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$54,690
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,536 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$29,364
+44%since 2000
from $20,358 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
34.4%
+10.5 ptssince 2009
from 23.9% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
12.4%
+3.3 ptssince 2000
from 9.1% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade26.8%
US avg: 10%
Information11.6%
US avg: 11.1%
Finance & insurance5.4%
US avg: 5.5%
Wholesale trade4.9%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical4.6%
US avg: 4.7%
Other services3.9%
US avg: 6.6%
Transportation & warehousing3.3%
US avg: 2.5%
Public administration2.7%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.8%
US avg: 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.4%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction0.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$156,200
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $95,100 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$754
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $525 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
69.2%
−3.3 ptssince 2000
from 72.5% in 2000
30.8% rent
Persons per household
2.48 people
−4%since 2009
from 2.58 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
2.9
−2%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-Hispanic82.1%(116,326)
Black8.3%(11,751)
Hispanic / Latino5.6%(7,886)
Asian2.9%(4,100)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic72.3%(116,120)
Black7.9%(12,628)
Hispanic / Latino10.8%(17,377)
Asian4.3%(6,937)
Other2.7%(4,302)
Segregation Score
28
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
Mexican6.8%(10,761)
Puerto Rican0.9%(1,364)
Costa Rican0.3%(411)
Salvadoran0.3%(408)
Nicaraguan0.2%(381)
Spaniard0.2%(333)
Colombian0.2%(261)
Dominican0.1%(230)
Honduran0.1%(213)
Guatemalan0.1%(179)
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data
Venezuelan0.1%(123)
Chilean0.1%(116)
Cuban0.1%(104)
Argentine0%(54)
Asian origin
Hmong3%(4,756)
Vietnamese0.4%(617)
Thai0.2%(307)
Japanese0.2%(286)
Laotian0.1%(214)
Chinese0.1%(179)
Asian Indian0.1%(171)
Korean0.1%(133)
Filipino0.1%(104)
Pakistani0%(34)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(68)
Samoan0%(28)
Ancestry
American17.5%(27,725)
German15%(23,797)
English8.6%(13,574)
Irish8.2%(13,020)
Scotch-Irish2.2%(3,448)
Italian2.1%(3,269)
Scottish2%(3,094)
Dutch1.6%(2,506)
French1.4%(2,154)
Polish1.2%(1,962)
British0.7%(1,129)
Russian0.7%(1,080)
+ 32 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh0.5%(814)
Swedish0.3%(468)
Norwegian0.3%(439)
Ukrainian0.2%(275)
Portuguese0.2%(245)
Swiss0.1%(234)
Hungarian0.1%(219)
Danish0.1%(162)
Brazilian0.1%(150)
Czech0.1%(138)
Finnish0.1%(137)
Greek0.1%(136)
West Indian0.1%(96)
Austrian0.1%(81)
Lebanese0.1%(80)
Canadian0%(76)
Slovak0%(68)
Jamaican0%(61)
Romanian0%(59)
Serbian0%(43)
Armenian0%(28)
Turkish0%(18)
Haitian0%(16)
Syrian0%(15)
Egyptian0%(12)
Belgian0%(10)
Croatian0%(10)
Iranian0%(10)
Latvian0%(5)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
23.1%
+6.0 ptssince 2000
from 17.0% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
86.4%
+11.6 ptssince 2000
from 74.8% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
6.9%
+2.1 ptssince 2000
from 4.7% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.7 min
+73%since 2000
from 13.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
84.4%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 85.3% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
4.8%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 5.7% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
6.0%
−3.0 ptssince 2011
from 9.1% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
62.3%
−1.9 ptssince 2011
from 64.2% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
72.3%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
31.2%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 29.4% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.9%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 49.3% in 2009
Female
51.1%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 50.7% in 2009
Foreign born
6.6%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 7.6% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
11.3%
−4.6 ptssince 2013
from 15.9% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
89.8%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
87.6%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
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
11.3%
−4.6 ptssince 2013
from 15.9% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
51.2%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
15.6%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
19.8%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
18.6%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
2.8%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
64.3%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
36.3%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)19%(1,752)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)14.1%(1,299)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era37.2%(3,422)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War8.4%(775)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II1.1%(99)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 9,211 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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Compare Catawba County to nearby counties

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CATAWBA COUNTY VS
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CATAWBA COUNTY VS
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CATAWBA COUNTY VS
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Catawba County, North Carolina?

Catawba County, North Carolina has about 160,610 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Catawba County, North Carolina earns about $54,690 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 $156,200, and the typical rent is about $754 a month.

How educated are people in Catawba County, North Carolina?

About 23.1% 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 12.4% 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 42,198 residents, a change of about 36 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 →