United States › North Carolina › Graham County COUNTY
Graham County North Carolina · 8,190 residents (2025 est.) · 292 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Graham County is a county of 8,072 people in North Carolina. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 18% of adults. The median age is 45.6, about 7 years above the US median. Owners hold 81% of the housing stock. 2% of residents were born outside the United States. The typical home is worth $170,600, having more than doubled since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 45.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 45%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 7,993 in 2000
8,190 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 27 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 41.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
7K 8K 8K 9K 9K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Graham County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $49,684
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,645 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $14,237 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 19.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.463 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 4.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.3%
Education & health services 1.8%
Public administration 0.3%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.2%
Transportation & warehousing 0.1%
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$170,600
+45%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $64,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$676
+16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $319 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 82.7% in 2000
19.3% rent
from 33.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.11 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 18.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 36.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.7 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 91.4%(7,303)
Hispanic / Latino 0.8%(60)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 84.9%(6,853)
from 24 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 44 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 Ancestry
+ 11 more ancestry groups with data from 11.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 68.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 18.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 83.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 7.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 52.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 63.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 16.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 19.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 11.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 23.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 49.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 78.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 92.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 96.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 23.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 45.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 15.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 27.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 26.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 59.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 47.0% 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) 10.1%(47)
Gulf War (1990s) 10.8%(50)
Share of the 464 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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Graham County Head to head
Compare Graham County to nearby counties GRAHAM COUNTY VS
Cherokee County
Income $53,628 +8%
Home value $232,300 +36%
Population 30,830 +276%
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GRAHAM COUNTY VS
Clay County
Income $56,971 +15%
Home value $278,400 +63%
Population 12,239 +49%
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GRAHAM COUNTY VS
Blount County
Income $77,365 +56%
Home value $320,500 +88%
Population 143,820 +1656%
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GRAHAM COUNTY VS
Monroe County
Income $56,895 +15%
Home value $227,500 +33%
Population 49,730 +507%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Graham County, North Carolina? Graham County, North Carolina has about 8,072 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Graham County, North Carolina? The typical household in Graham County, North Carolina earns about $49,684 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Graham County, North Carolina expensive? In Graham County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $170,600, and the typical rent is about $676 a month.
How educated are people in Graham County, North Carolina? About 17.6% of adults age 25 and over in Graham County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Graham County, North Carolina? About 6.7% of people in Graham County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Graham County, North Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Graham County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 876 residents, a change of about 12 percent over that period.
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