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COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Rutherford County

North Carolina · 62,899 residents · 565 sq mi
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The short version

Rutherford County is a county of 62,899 people in North Carolina. 12% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Home values have risen by half since 1990, reaching $71,300. At a median age of 38.3, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Owners hold 74% of the housing stock. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 21%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 38.3
US median: 35.2
Less educated
12% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
62,899
+11%since 1990
from 56,918 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
38.3
+7%since 1990
from 35.6 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
565 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
56K59K62K66K69K19902000201020202024Rutherford County
202465K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 56.2%(3,887)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 97%(4,427)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.7%(4,224)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 196.1%(3,848)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 245.7%(3,589)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3413.3%(8,384)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4414.6%(9,188)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5413.8%(8,679)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 6410.5%(6,606)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 748.4%(5,255)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 845.7%(3,574)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over2%(1,238)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$31,122
−1%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $23,828 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$16,270
+44%since 1990
from $11,287 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
13.9%
+1.6 ptssince 1990
from 12.3% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$71,300
+18%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $45,700 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$404
−1%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $310 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
74.5%
+1.5 ptssince 1990
from 73.0% in 1990
25.5% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic88.1%(50,140)
Black11.5%(6,555)
Hispanic / Latino0.5%(257)
Asian0.1%(56)
2000
White, non-Hispanic85.8%(53,957)
Black11.2%(7,028)
Hispanic / Latino1.8%(1,136)
Asian0.3%(191)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.4%(2,227)
Colombian0.6%(369)
Honduran0.4%(228)
Puerto Rican0.3%(225)
Bolivian0.1%(70)
Venezuelan0.1%(55)
Spaniard0.1%(40)
Chilean0.1%(37)
Cuban0%(20)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Vietnamese0.2%(120)
Filipino0.1%(80)
Korean0%(31)
Hmong0%(30)
Chinese0%(17)
Pacific Islander origin
Tongan0%(12)
Samoan0%(3)
Ancestry
English13.9%(9,027)
American10.8%(7,025)
Irish10.7%(6,956)
German9.8%(6,376)
Scotch-Irish3.2%(2,049)
Scottish2.5%(1,622)
Italian2.3%(1,478)
Polish1%(621)
Dutch0.8%(549)
Welsh0.8%(539)
French0.7%(470)
Swedish0.4%(288)
+ 30 more ancestry groups with data
British0.3%(204)
Russian0.2%(161)
Czech0.2%(137)
Australian0.2%(131)
Hungarian0.2%(125)
Danish0.2%(108)
Norwegian0.1%(94)
Brazilian0.1%(85)
West Indian0.1%(78)
Portuguese0.1%(58)
Greek0.1%(56)
Ukrainian0.1%(56)
Belgian0.1%(50)
Barbadian0.1%(48)
Swiss0.1%(43)
Slovak0.1%(34)
Arab0%(23)
Canadian0%(19)
Jamaican0%(18)
Finnish0%(16)
Romanian0%(14)
Serbian0%(9)
Turkish0%(7)
Iranian0%(3)
Haitian0%(2)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
12.5%
+2.6 ptssince 1990
from 9.8% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
70.4%
+11.0 ptssince 1990
from 59.4% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
3.9%
+0.8 ptssince 1990
from 3.1% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
14.9 min
−16%since 1990
from 17.7 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married21.9%(5,241)
Married66.2%(15,831)
Widowed2.9%(691)
Divorced9%(2,142)
Women 15+
Never married16.2%(4,279)
Married60.3%(15,925)
Widowed14.3%(3,786)
Divorced9.1%(2,407)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
12.0%
−6.0 ptssince 2013
from 18.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
41.3%
−2.7 ptssince 2020
from 44.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
18.4%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 17.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
26.2%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 25.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
23.3%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 23.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.5%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 3.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
58.5%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 59.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
46.1%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 45.5% 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)18.2%(701)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)20.3%(784)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era40.2%(1,549)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.6%(176)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.1%(4)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 3,853 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 Rutherford County

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Pop 62,987
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Pop 66,524
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Pop 58,898
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Pop 74,085
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Head to head

Compare Rutherford County to nearby counties

RUTHERFORD COUNTY VS
Polk County
Income$67,758+118%
Home value$315,000+342%
Population20,533−69%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RUTHERFORD COUNTY VS
McDowell County
Income$57,168+84%
Home value$171,100+140%
Population45,198−31%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RUTHERFORD COUNTY VS
Cleveland County
Income$58,534+88%
Home value$200,000+181%
Population103,325+57%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RUTHERFORD COUNTY VS
Burke County
Income$58,592+88%
Home value$185,400+160%
Population88,655+35%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Rutherford County, North Carolina?

Rutherford County, North Carolina has about 62,899 residents according to the 2000 Census.

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

The typical household in Rutherford County, North Carolina earns about $31,122 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Rutherford County, North Carolina expensive?

In Rutherford County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $71,300, and the typical rent is about $404 a month.

How educated are people in Rutherford County, North Carolina?

About 12.5% of adults age 25 and over in Rutherford County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

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

About 13.9% of people in Rutherford County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Rutherford County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Rutherford County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 5,981 residents, a change of about 11 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 →