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COUNTY

Macon County

North Carolina · 39,232 residents (2025 est.) · 515.565 sq mi
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The short version

Macon County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $59,061. Population has grown 27% since 2000. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $251,900. With a median age of 49.7, the population is older than the US median of 38.9.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 49.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
28% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 42%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
37,941
+27%since 2000
from 29,811 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
74 / sq mi
+16%since 2009
from 63 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
49.7
+10%since 2000
from 45.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:39,232 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
22K26K31K35K39K1990201020202024Macon County
202438K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.3%(1,641)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.6%(1,747)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.4%(2,030)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 194.6%(1,752)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.4%(2,039)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3410.1%(3,836)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411%(4,176)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.4%(3,959)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6415%(5,682)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7416.6%(6,292)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 8410.2%(3,868)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.4%(919)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$59,061
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,139 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$38,705
+108%since 2000
from $18,642 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
36.6%
+16.9 ptssince 2009
from 19.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
11.6%
−1.0 ptssince 2000
from 12.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.483
−3%since 2010
from 0.500 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information13.4%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade11.8%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services5.6%
US avg: 6.7%
Retail trade4.5%
US avg: 9.9%
Finance & insurance4.1%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical3.3%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration3.3%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food2.2%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.6%
US avg: 2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1%
US avg: 1.6%
Education & health services0.8%
US avg: 0.9%
Construction0.7%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.3%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$251,900
+42%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $97,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$803
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $485 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
77.6%
−3.7 ptssince 2000
from 81.3% in 2000
22.4% rent
Vacancy rate
32.4%
−4.1 ptssince 2009
from 36.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
16.2%
−9.2 ptssince 2009
from 25.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
34.4%
+2.7 ptssince 2009
from 31.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.3
−3%since 2009
from 4.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
51
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Macon County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic96%(28,628)
Black1.2%(353)
Hispanic / Latino1.5%(454)
Asian0.4%(117)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic85.2%(32,344)
Black1.4%(521)
Hispanic / Latino10%(3,806)
Asian0.6%(237)
Other2.7%(1,033)
Diversity Score
33
+116%since 2009
from 15 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
12
−46%since 2020
from 21 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

Hispanic origin
Mexican6.9%(2,617)
Cuban0.7%(273)
Puerto Rican0.6%(240)
Costa Rican0.4%(134)
Dominican0.3%(101)
Spaniard0.2%(78)
Colombian0.2%(64)
Honduran0.1%(31)
Ecuadorian0.1%(24)
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data
Asian origin
Vietnamese0.3%(126)
Chinese0.2%(79)
Japanese0.1%(33)
Uzbek0.1%(32)
Korean0%(13)
Ancestry
English17.3%(6,576)
American15.4%(5,826)
Irish11.9%(4,517)
German8.7%(3,312)
Scotch-Irish4.2%(1,588)
Scottish4.2%(1,582)
Italian3.1%(1,194)
French2.6%(974)
Polish2.1%(790)
Dutch1.4%(539)
British0.6%(216)
+ 27 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.5%(208)
Swedish0.5%(203)
Russian0.4%(153)
Greek0.4%(145)
Bulgarian0.3%(110)
Ukrainian0.2%(91)
Arab0.2%(77)
Welsh0.2%(72)
Hungarian0.1%(56)
Swiss0.1%(51)
Finnish0.1%(47)
Danish0.1%(43)
Portuguese0.1%(43)
Belgian0.1%(42)
Syrian0.1%(35)
Ethiopian0.1%(35)
Canadian0.1%(33)
Austrian0.1%(29)
Lithuanian0.1%(29)
Australian0.1%(27)
Nigerian0.1%(26)
Czech0.1%(24)
Slovak0.1%(19)
Lebanese0%(18)
Brazilian0%(15)
Armenian0%(12)
RANKED:Largest English population · Largest American population · Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest Mexican population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
27.9%
+11.7 ptssince 2000
from 16.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
89.8%
+12.5 ptssince 2000
from 77.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
10.6%
+4.9 ptssince 2000
from 5.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.6 min
+61%since 2000
from 14.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
80.3%
−2.4 ptssince 2009
from 82.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.5%
−3.7 ptssince 2009
from 12.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
9.4%
+6.0 ptssince 2009
from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.5%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
6.1%
+1.5 ptssince 2009
from 4.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
2.8%
−5.4 ptssince 2011
from 8.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
53.3%
−1.4 ptssince 2011
from 54.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
14.4%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 13.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
34.8%
−24.5 ptssince 2009
from 59.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.8%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 48.1% in 2009
Female
51.2%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 51.9% in 2009
Foreign born
5.9%
+1.9 ptssince 2009
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
9.4%
−37.7 ptssince 2009
from 47.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
15.4%
−2.8 ptssince 2012
from 18.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
13.7%
−65.3 ptssince 2013
from 79.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
83.3%
+15.6 ptssince 2017
from 67.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
91.8%
−0.9 ptssince 2016
from 92.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
6.9%
+1.2 ptssince 2016
from 5.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married22.5%(3,526)
Married63.8%(9,987)
Widowed2.8%(431)
Divorced10.9%(1,710)
Women 15+
Never married18.4%(3,103)
Married55.5%(9,368)
Widowed12.1%(2,043)
Divorced14%(2,355)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Head to head

Compare Macon County to nearby counties

MACON COUNTY VS
Rabun County
Income$67,493+14%
Home value$295,200+17%
Population17,764−55%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MACON COUNTY VS
Jackson County
Income$55,815−5%
Home value$284,700+13%
Population45,039+15%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MACON COUNTY VS
Clay County
Income$56,971−4%
Home value$278,400+11%
Population12,239−69%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MACON COUNTY VS
Towns County
Income$59,135same
Home value$316,100+25%
Population13,285−66%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Macon County, North Carolina?

Macon County, North Carolina has about 37,941 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Macon County, North Carolina earns about $59,061 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Macon County, North Carolina expensive?

In Macon County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $251,900, and the typical rent is about $803 a month.

How educated are people in Macon County, North Carolina?

About 27.9% of adults age 25 and over in Macon County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

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

About 11.6% of people in Macon County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Macon County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Macon County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 14,442 residents, a change of about 61 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

10 census tracts
Census Tract 9707Census Tract 9706Census Tract 9703.02Census Tract 9702Census Tract 9704Census Tract 9701Census Tract 9703.04Census Tract 9705.02Census Tract 9703.03Census Tract 9705.01
5 ZIP codes
ZIP 28734ZIP 28741ZIP 28763ZIP 28781ZIP 28775
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

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