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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Cleveland County

North Carolina · 99,519 residents · 464 sq mi
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The short version

Cleveland County is a county of 99,519 people in North Carolina. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 19% of adults. The typical home is worth $130,000, having risen by half since 2000. The foreign-born share is 2%. The median age is 42.4, about 4 years above the US median. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 23%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 42.4
US median: 38.8
Less educated
19% 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
99,519
+3%since 2000
from 96,287 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
42.4
+16%since 2000
from 36.5 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
464 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
83K88K93K98K103K19902000201020202024Cleveland County
2024101K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.4%(5,330)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.8%(5,772)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146.5%(6,515)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196.6%(6,565)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.1%(6,031)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3411.5%(11,474)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411%(10,899)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5413.5%(13,469)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6414.3%(14,233)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7411.6%(11,545)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.9%(5,830)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.9%(1,856)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$43,512
−18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,283 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$23,061
+33%since 2000
from $17,395 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
26.8%
+8.2 ptssince 2009
from 18.6% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
19.1%
+5.9 ptssince 2000
from 13.3% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade19.2%
US avg: 10%
Information12.4%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade7.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance5%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical3.7%
US avg: 4.7%
Other services2.3%
US avg: 6.6%
Arts, entertainment, food1.6%
US avg: 2%
Transportation & warehousing1.6%
US avg: 2.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.3%
US avg: 1.7%
Public administration1.3%
US avg: 4.7%
Education & health services1.3%
US avg: 0.8%
Construction1.2%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$130,000
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $77,600 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$694
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $447 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
66.3%
−6.5 ptssince 2000
from 72.8% in 2000
33.7% rent
Persons per household
2.66 people
+5%since 2009
from 2.53 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
3.0
+13%since 2009
from 2.6 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-Hispanic76.2%(73,357)
Black20.8%(20,010)
Hispanic / Latino1.5%(1,433)
Asian0.7%(647)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic70.5%(70,163)
Black20.1%(20,034)
Hispanic / Latino4.1%(4,039)
Asian0.9%(854)
Other2.1%(2,119)
Segregation Score
26
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
Mexican2.3%(2,296)
Puerto Rican0.6%(626)
Cuban0.3%(337)
Salvadoran0.1%(97)
Colombian0%(43)
Peruvian0%(40)
Dominican0%(21)
Honduran0%(15)
+ 4 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Laotian0.4%(354)
Asian Indian0.2%(223)
Filipino0.2%(167)
Chinese0.1%(77)
Japanese0.1%(62)
Korean0%(24)
Thai0%(24)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
American30.2%(29,481)
English7.4%(7,186)
German7.1%(6,976)
Irish5.8%(5,644)
Scotch-Irish2.3%(2,203)
Scottish1.8%(1,723)
Italian1%(1,026)
French0.8%(766)
Polish0.5%(499)
British0.5%(470)
Dutch0.4%(432)
+ 24 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh0.4%(373)
Swedish0.3%(278)
Hungarian0.1%(119)
Greek0.1%(117)
Jordanian0.1%(102)
Swiss0.1%(98)
Danish0.1%(83)
Canadian0.1%(79)
Russian0.1%(73)
Norwegian0.1%(69)
Lithuanian0.1%(67)
Austrian0.1%(65)
Portuguese0.1%(61)
Ukrainian0.1%(61)
Turkish0%(20)
Armenian0%(16)
Finnish0%(16)
Belgian0%(15)
Czech0%(13)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
19.5%
+6.2 ptssince 2000
from 13.3% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
85.8%
+13.6 ptssince 2000
from 72.2% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
7.2%
+2.9 ptssince 2000
from 4.3% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.1 min
+52%since 2000
from 15.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
83.8%
−2.0 ptssince 2009
from 85.8% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
7.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
7.4%
−5.7 ptssince 2011
from 13.1% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
56.7%
−2.8 ptssince 2011
from 59.5% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
67.6%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
32.2%
+3.9 ptssince 2009
from 28.3% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.2%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 47.8% in 2009
Female
51.8%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 52.2% in 2009
Foreign born
2.4%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
11.4%
−4.4 ptssince 2013
from 15.8% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
83.3%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
88.8%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married33%(12,986)
Married53.5%(21,063)
Widowed3.5%(1,372)
Divorced10%(3,926)
Women 15+
Never married27.7%(11,897)
Married48.8%(20,972)
Widowed11.3%(4,842)
Divorced12.3%(5,266)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
11.4%
−4.4 ptssince 2013
from 15.8% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
49.3%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
17.0%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
22.7%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
23.0%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
3.4%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
60.7%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
41.8%
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)10.3%(625)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)12.8%(777)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era41.9%(2,555)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War9.5%(578)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II1%(58)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 6,092 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 Cleveland County

Houston County
Pop 110,318
Garland County
Pop 99,695
Delaware County
Pop 113,106
Marshall County
Pop 103,537
Places similar to Cleveland County
Head to head

Compare Cleveland County to nearby counties

CLEVELAND COUNTY VS
Cherokee County
Income$50,288+16%
Home value$142,000+9%
Population58,275−44%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CLEVELAND COUNTY VS
Rutherford County
Income$51,410+18%
Home value$201,800+55%
Population65,745−36%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CLEVELAND COUNTY VS
Lincoln County
Income$80,016+84%
Home value$321,000+147%
Population98,654−5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CLEVELAND COUNTY VS
Gaston County
Income$67,478+55%
Home value$266,000+105%
Population246,558+139%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Cleveland County, North Carolina?

Cleveland County, North Carolina has about 99,519 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Cleveland County, North Carolina earns about $43,512 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Cleveland County, North Carolina expensive?

In Cleveland County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $130,000, and the typical rent is about $694 a month.

How educated are people in Cleveland County, North Carolina?

About 19.5% of adults age 25 and over in Cleveland County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

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

About 19.1% of people in Cleveland County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Cleveland County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Cleveland County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 14,805 residents, a change of about 17 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 →