United States › North Carolina › Mitchell County COUNTY
Mitchell County North Carolina · 15,062 residents (2025 est.) · 221 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Mitchell County is a county of 14,992 people in North Carolina. The median age is 48.0, about 9 years above the US median. About 24% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The foreign-born share is 2%. 76% of homes are owner-occupied. The typical home is worth $220,100, having roughly tripled since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 48.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 72%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 15,687 in 2000
15,062 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 71 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 42.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
14K 15K 15K 15K 16K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Mitchell County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $57,602
+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,508 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,933 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 15.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 13.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.437 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 6.9%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.5%
Transportation & warehousing 1.7%
Education & health services 0.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.8%
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$220,100
+72%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $70,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$813
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $379 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 80.8% in 2000
23.7% rent
from 21.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.36 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 21.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 30.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.3 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 97%(15,210)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 91%(13,643)
Hispanic / Latino 5.6%(836)
from 13 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 24 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
+ 18 more ancestry groups with data from 12.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 68.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 17.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 80.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 14.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 8.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 11.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 54.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 66.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 15.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 24.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 21.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 16.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 62.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 83.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 93.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 95.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 4.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 24.3%(1,526)
Women 15+
Never married 18.7%(1,232)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 16.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 49.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 19.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 28.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 19.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 66.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 42.4% 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) 17.1%(162)
Share of the 946 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 Mitchell County Head to head
Compare Mitchell County to nearby counties MITCHELL COUNTY VS
Yancey County
Income $58,709 +2%
Home value $243,100 +10%
Population 19,084 +27%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MITCHELL COUNTY VS
Avery County
Income $61,428 +7%
Home value $265,800 +21%
Population 18,110 +20%
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MITCHELL COUNTY VS
Unicoi County
Income $52,218 −9%
Home value $189,600 −14%
Population 17,856 +19%
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MITCHELL COUNTY VS
Carter County
Income $50,135 −13%
Home value $168,200 −24%
Population 57,361 +281%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Mitchell County, North Carolina? Mitchell County, North Carolina has about 14,992 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Mitchell County, North Carolina? The typical household in Mitchell County, North Carolina earns about $57,602 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Mitchell County, North Carolina expensive? In Mitchell County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $220,100, and the typical rent is about $813 a month.
How educated are people in Mitchell County, North Carolina? About 24.2% of adults age 25 and over in Mitchell County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Mitchell County, North Carolina? About 12.9% of people in Mitchell County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Mitchell County, North Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Mitchell County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 559 residents, a change of about 4 percent over that period.
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