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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Jackson County

North Carolina · 43,109 residents · 491 sq mi
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The short version

Jackson County is home to 43,109 people in North Carolina. The population is up 30% since 2000. 3% of people here were born outside the United States. Getting to work takes 20 minutes on average. Renters pay $747 a month at the median. Households take in $46,820 at the median, 29% less than the US figure.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 36.2
US median: 38.8
Average education
28% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 48%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
43,109
+30%since 2000
from 33,121 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
36.2
Unchangedsince 2000
from 36.2 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
491 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
25K30K35K40K45K19902000201020202024Jackson County
202444K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 54.4%(1,881)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.7%(2,033)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 144.9%(2,112)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 1910.6%(4,554)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 2413.6%(5,877)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3410.7%(4,631)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 449.5%(4,101)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5410%(4,304)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6412%(5,173)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7412.1%(5,237)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.8%(2,504)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.6%(702)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$46,820
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,552 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$25,738
+46%since 2000
from $17,582 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
26.8%
+7.8 ptssince 2009
from 19.0% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
18.0%
+2.9 ptssince 2000
from 15.1% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information13.7%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade6.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Retail trade4.5%
US avg: 10%
Other services3.3%
US avg: 6.6%
Finance & insurance2%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical1.6%
US avg: 4.7%
Public administration1.3%
US avg: 4.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.3%
US avg: 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, food1.1%
US avg: 2%
Construction1.1%
US avg: 1.2%
Transportation & warehousing0.8%
US avg: 2.5%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.2%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$206,900
+48%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $93,100 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$747
+16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $430 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
66.0%
−6.5 ptssince 2000
from 72.5% in 2000
34.0% rent
Persons per household
2.33 people
+11%since 2009
from 2.10 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
4.4
+6%since 2009
from 4.2 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-Hispanic84.8%(28,093)
Black1.7%(547)
Hispanic / Latino1.7%(577)
Asian0.5%(161)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic76.1%(32,800)
Black1.7%(736)
Hispanic / Latino7.6%(3,292)
Asian1.2%(497)
Other10.6%(4,563)
Segregation Score
39
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
Mexican3.5%(1,521)
Puerto Rican0.8%(354)
Cuban0.5%(201)
Honduran0.3%(146)
Guatemalan0.2%(78)
Panamanian0.1%(54)
Colombian0.1%(41)
Dominican0%(16)
Spaniard0%(14)
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data
Asian origin
Hmong0.3%(135)
Vietnamese0.1%(48)
Asian Indian0.1%(45)
Filipino0.1%(23)
Korean0%(18)
Chinese0%(12)
Laotian0%(8)
Ancestry
American23.9%(10,398)
English11.3%(4,919)
German10.6%(4,594)
Irish7.8%(3,374)
Scotch-Irish5.7%(2,466)
Italian2.1%(898)
Scottish2%(859)
French1.8%(765)
British1.1%(467)
Polish1%(447)
Norwegian0.8%(359)
Dutch0.8%(348)
+ 24 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish0.5%(212)
Welsh0.4%(188)
West Indian0.3%(136)
Haitian0.2%(101)
Ukrainian0.2%(90)
Portuguese0.2%(79)
Swiss0.2%(79)
Canadian0.1%(65)
Turkish0.1%(48)
Finnish0.1%(45)
Arab0.1%(37)
Lithuanian0.1%(36)
Czech0.1%(35)
Belgian0%(18)
Austrian0%(16)
Danish0%(15)
Iranian0%(14)
Hungarian0%(11)
Latvian0%(6)
Russian0%(3)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
28.4%
+2.9 ptssince 2000
from 25.5% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
88.0%
+9.2 ptssince 2000
from 78.8% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
12.7%
+1.1 ptssince 2000
from 11.6% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.6 min
+34%since 2000
from 14.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
79.8%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 79.1% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
4.9%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 5.1% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.8%
−1.2 ptssince 2011
from 7.0% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
54.6%
−3.6 ptssince 2011
from 58.3% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
67.5%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
32.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 32.3% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.6%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 49.5% in 2009
Female
51.4%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 50.5% in 2009
Foreign born
3.2%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
14.4%
−4.2 ptssince 2013
from 18.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
89.2%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
81.2%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married40.5%(7,509)
Married43.8%(8,119)
Widowed2.5%(471)
Divorced13.1%(2,433)
Women 15+
Never married37.1%(7,231)
Married44%(8,575)
Widowed8.4%(1,643)
Divorced10.4%(2,027)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
14.4%
−4.2 ptssince 2013
from 18.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
48.4%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
18.7%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
21.3%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
16.7%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
3.5%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
64.4%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
35.9%
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)15.2%(446)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)9.4%(277)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era48.7%(1,430)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War9.4%(277)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II1.9%(55)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 2,937 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 Jackson County

Crittenden County
Pop 46,210
Coles County
Pop 46,607
Baldwin County
Pop 44,029
Hendry County
Pop 48,276
Places similar to Jackson County
Head to head

Compare Jackson County to nearby counties

JACKSON COUNTY VS
Transylvania County
Income$66,184+41%
Home value$373,600+81%
Population34,211−24%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
JACKSON COUNTY VS
Macon County
Income$59,061+26%
Home value$251,900+22%
Population39,232−13%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
JACKSON COUNTY VS
Haywood County
Income$61,912+32%
Home value$279,200+35%
Population63,369+41%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
JACKSON COUNTY VS
Swain County
Income$52,349+12%
Home value$207,000same
Population14,024−69%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Jackson County, North Carolina?

Jackson County, North Carolina has about 43,109 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Jackson County, North Carolina earns about $46,820 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Jackson County, North Carolina expensive?

In Jackson County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $206,900, and the typical rent is about $747 a month.

How educated are people in Jackson County, North Carolina?

About 28.4% of adults age 25 and over in Jackson County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

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

About 18.0% of people in Jackson County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Jackson County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Jackson County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 16,263 residents, a change of about 61 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 →

Jackson County, North Carolina (2020): demographics, income & housing data · CensusEasy