CensusEasy
COUNTY · 2020 ACS

McDowell County

North Carolina · 44,578 residents · 440 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Part of the Marion micropolitan area
Compare
The short version

McDowell County is home to 44,578 people in North Carolina. At a median age of 44.8, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $129,400. Owners hold 73% of the housing stock. 4% of residents were born outside the United States.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 44.8
US median: 38.8
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 33%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
44,578
+6%since 2000
from 42,151 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
44.8
+18%since 2000
from 38.0 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
440 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
35K38K40K43K46K19902000201020202024McDowell County
202445K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 54.8%(2,146)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.3%(2,359)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146%(2,662)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 195.7%(2,560)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.2%(2,321)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3411.6%(5,176)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.6%(5,156)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5413.6%(6,043)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6415.2%(6,780)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7412.7%(5,681)
US avg: 10%
75 to 846.2%(2,785)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2%(909)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$47,085
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,396 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$25,432
+58%since 2000
from $16,109 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
27.4%
+12.1 ptssince 2009
from 15.3% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
15.6%
+4.0 ptssince 2000
from 11.6% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade27%
US avg: 10%
Information13.2%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade8.2%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance3.4%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical2.9%
US avg: 4.7%
Other services2.7%
US avg: 6.6%
Transportation & warehousing2.2%
US avg: 2.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.8%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction1.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Public administration1.1%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food0.9%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.5%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.5%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$129,400
+33%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $64,800 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$647
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $411 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
73.3%
−3.9 ptssince 2000
from 77.2% in 2000
26.7% rent
Persons per household
2.42 people
−3%since 2009
from 2.50 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
2.7
+6%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-Hispanic91%(38,373)
Black4.1%(1,716)
Hispanic / Latino2.9%(1,214)
Asian0.9%(387)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic84.8%(37,788)
Black3.8%(1,707)
Hispanic / Latino6.6%(2,947)
Asian0.9%(388)
Other1.7%(737)
Segregation Score
37
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
Mexican5%(2,273)
Puerto Rican0.4%(171)
Guatemalan0.3%(145)
Cuban0.1%(60)
Salvadoran0.1%(56)
Dominican0.1%(28)
Argentine0.1%(27)
Colombian0%(14)
Asian origin
Filipino0.6%(252)
Asian Indian0.2%(91)
Japanese0.2%(80)
Hmong0.1%(42)
Ancestry
American17.6%(8,003)
English12.1%(5,510)
Irish10.9%(4,946)
German9.7%(4,383)
Scotch-Irish4.1%(1,871)
Scottish3.6%(1,631)
Italian1.6%(706)
Dutch1.5%(683)
French1.2%(539)
Polish0.5%(237)
Welsh0.4%(200)
British0.4%(178)
+ 23 more ancestry groups with data
Russian0.3%(146)
Swedish0.3%(137)
Swiss0.2%(91)
Greek0.2%(78)
Canadian0.2%(69)
Norwegian0.1%(62)
Australian0.1%(58)
West Indian0.1%(48)
Lithuanian0.1%(42)
Jamaican0.1%(39)
Hungarian0.1%(27)
Czech0.1%(23)
Danish0%(19)
Ukrainian0%(18)
Arab0%(14)
Finnish0%(13)
Israeli0%(10)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
18.4%
+9.4 ptssince 2000
from 9.0% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
84.6%
+14.4 ptssince 2000
from 70.2% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
5.4%
+2.8 ptssince 2000
from 2.6% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
23.7 min
+43%since 2000
from 16.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
84.7%
+6.1 ptssince 2009
from 78.6% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
6.9%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 7.4% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.7%
−5.2 ptssince 2011
from 10.9% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
54.6%
−4.7 ptssince 2011
from 59.3% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
65.8%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
26.5%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 27.0% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.5%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 49.8% in 2009
Female
49.5%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 50.2% in 2009
Foreign born
4.2%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
11.2%
−4.0 ptssince 2013
from 15.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
87.4%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
89.1%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married30%(5,613)
Married55.5%(10,372)
Widowed3.2%(593)
Divorced11.3%(2,103)
Women 15+
Never married20.3%(3,885)
Married57.1%(10,894)
Widowed11.8%(2,259)
Divorced10.8%(2,055)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
11.2%
−4.0 ptssince 2013
from 15.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
47.2%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
17.1%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
25.4%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
22.0%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
4.7%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
61.8%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
42.7%
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)13.8%(414)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)9.5%(283)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era44.1%(1,319)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War9.3%(277)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II2.3%(68)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 2,994 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 McDowell County

Polk County
Pop 45,514
Coles County
Pop 46,607
Knox County
Pop 47,767
Greene County
Pop 47,411
Places similar to McDowell County
Head to head

Compare McDowell County to nearby counties

MCDOWELL COUNTY VS
Burke County
Income$58,592+24%
Home value$185,400+43%
Population88,655+96%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MCDOWELL COUNTY VS
Yancey County
Income$58,709+25%
Home value$243,100+88%
Population19,084−58%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MCDOWELL COUNTY VS
Rutherford County
Income$51,410+9%
Home value$201,800+56%
Population65,745+45%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MCDOWELL COUNTY VS
Mitchell County
Income$57,602+22%
Home value$220,100+70%
Population15,062−67%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in McDowell County, North Carolina?

McDowell County, North Carolina has about 44,578 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in McDowell County, North Carolina earns about $47,085 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is McDowell County, North Carolina expensive?

In McDowell County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $129,400, and the typical rent is about $647 a month.

How educated are people in McDowell County, North Carolina?

About 18.4% of adults age 25 and over in McDowell County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

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

About 15.6% of people in McDowell County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has McDowell County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, McDowell County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 8,897 residents, a change of about 25 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →