COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Macon County

North Carolina · 23,499 residents · 516 sq mi

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The short version

Macon County is home to 23,499 people in North Carolina. The median age is 42.9, about 10 years above the US median. Owners hold 83% of the housing stock. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 23%. About 13% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The population has fallen 21% since 2000.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 42.9

US median: 33.0

Less educated

13% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 16%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

23,499

−21%vs 2000

vs 29,811 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

42.9

−5%vs 2000

vs 45.2 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

516 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202438K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 55.1%(1,198)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 95.9%(1,395)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 145.1%(1,198)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 196.2%(1,454)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 245%(1,186)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3412.1%(2,851)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4413.6%(3,193)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5411.7%(2,751)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 6412.8%(2,998)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 7412.9%(3,025)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 847.9%(1,845)

US avg: 4%

85 and over1.7%(405)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$20,450

−16%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $32,139 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$11,017

−41%vs 2000

vs $18,642 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

16.5%

+3.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 12.6% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$62,300

−16%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $97,400 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$318

−14%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $485 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

82.8%

+1.4 ptsvs 2000

vs 81.3% in 2000

17.2% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic96%(28,628)

Black1.2%(353)

Hispanic / Latino1.5%(454)

Asian0.4%(117)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic97.6%(22,929)

Black1.6%(376)

Hispanic / Latino0.5%(110)

Asian0.2%(58)

Other0.6%(136)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Mexican6.9%(2,617)

Cuban0.7%(273)

Puerto Rican0.6%(240)

Central American0.5%(172)

Costa Rican0.4%(134)

Dominican0.3%(101)

South American0.3%(96)

Spaniard0.2%(78)

Colombian0.2%(64)

Honduran0.1%(31)

Ecuadorian0.1%(24)

Venezuelan0%(8)

+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data

Guatemalan0%(7)

Asian origin

Vietnamese0.3%(126)

Chinese0.2%(79)

Japanese0.1%(33)

Uzbek0.1%(32)

Korean0%(13)

Asian Indian0%(12)

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)

Subsaharan African0.7%(259)

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)

French Canadian0.2%(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

13.2%

−3.0 ptsvs 2000

vs 16.2% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

66.7%

−10.6 ptsvs 2000

vs 77.3% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

4.3%

−1.4 ptsvs 2000

vs 5.7% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

18.3 min

+30%vs 2000

vs 14.1 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

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

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

13.7%

−7.3 ptssince 2013

from 21.0% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

38.3%

+1.2 ptssince 2020

from 37.1% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

20.7%

−2.6 ptssince 2020

from 23.3% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

31.3%

−0.7 ptssince 2020

from 32.0% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

17.6%

−2.1 ptssince 2020

from 19.7% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

4.5%

−1.0 ptssince 2020

from 5.5% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

58.1%

−0.1 ptssince 2020

from 58.2% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

46.3%

−2.0 ptssince 2020

from 48.3% 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)8.3%(242)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)17.3%(505)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era44%(1,282)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War2.6%(76)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0%(0)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 2,916 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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