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COUNTY · 2010 ACS

Rutherford County

North Carolina · 67,810 residents · 565 sq mi
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The short version

With 67,810 people, Rutherford County is a county in North Carolina. At a median age of 42.5, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 28% national rate. Median home value sits at $101,100. The foreign-born share is 3%. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 22%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Older
median age 42.5
US median: 37.2
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
67,810
+8%since 2000
from 62,899 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
42.5
+11%since 2000
from 38.3 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
565 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
56K59K62K66K69K19902000201020202024Rutherford County
202465K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 55.7%(3,878)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 96.1%(4,137)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 146.5%(4,432)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 196.6%(4,484)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 245.1%(3,444)
US avg: 7%
25 to 3410.3%(7,008)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 4413.1%(8,914)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5414.9%(10,080)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 6414.3%(9,707)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 749.8%(6,663)
US avg: 7%
75 to 845.4%(3,643)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over2.1%(1,420)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$35,364
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,122 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$18,961
+17%since 2000
from $16,270 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
15.6%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 15.4% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
Poverty rate
20.7%
+6.8 ptssince 2000
from 13.9% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.448
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Retail trade19.9%
US avg: 10.9%
Information14%
US avg: 11.5%
Wholesale trade7.2%
US avg: 7.2%
Finance & insurance4.5%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services3.9%
US avg: 7%
Professional, scientific, technical3.3%
US avg: 4.2%
Transportation & warehousing2.7%
US avg: 3.1%
Public administration2%
US avg: 4.9%
Arts, entertainment, food1.4%
US avg: 2.4%
Education & health services1.2%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.7%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction0.5%
US avg: 1.4%
Manufacturing0.2%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$101,100
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $71,300 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$526
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $404 in 2000
US average: $853
Owner-occupied
72.0%
−2.5 ptssince 2000
from 74.5% in 2000
28.0% rent
Vacancy rate
17.6%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 17.4% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
Persons per household
2.39 people
+2%since 2009
from 2.34 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
Owner cost-burdened
25.0%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 23.3% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
Renter cost-burdened
39.1%
+2.6 ptssince 2009
from 36.5% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
Afford Score
2.9
+1%since 2009
from 2.8 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-Hispanic85.8%(53,957)
Black11.2%(7,028)
Hispanic / Latino1.8%(1,136)
Asian0.3%(191)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic84.1%(57,054)
Black10%(6,804)
Hispanic / Latino3.5%(2,397)
Asian0.4%(289)
Other2.3%(1,591)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.1%(1,374)
Honduran0.4%(267)
Guatemalan0.2%(161)
Puerto Rican0.2%(134)
Cuban0.1%(85)
Salvadoran0.1%(64)
Colombian0%(23)
Dominican0%(11)
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data
Ancestry
American19.8%(13,277)
Irish13.3%(8,934)
German10.3%(6,892)
English9.4%(6,287)
Scotch-Irish4.7%(3,128)
Scottish2.3%(1,545)
French1.8%(1,210)
Dutch1.6%(1,064)
Italian1.5%(1,028)
Polish0.6%(407)
Swedish0.5%(360)
+ 29 more ancestry groups with data
Russian0.4%(236)
Norwegian0.3%(203)
Welsh0.3%(201)
Canadian0.3%(194)
Czech0.3%(187)
British0.2%(135)
Portuguese0.2%(129)
Ukrainian0.2%(118)
Brazilian0.2%(104)
Austrian0.2%(103)
Nigerian0.2%(102)
Armenian0.1%(100)
Swiss0.1%(90)
Finnish0.1%(76)
Hungarian0.1%(67)
Romanian0.1%(67)
Arab0.1%(64)
Lebanese0.1%(64)
Greek0.1%(45)
Danish0.1%(43)
Belgian0%(31)
Israeli0%(22)
Slovak0%(18)
Barbadian0%(13)
Turkish0%(9)
Serbian0%(8)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
14.6%
+2.2 ptssince 2000
from 12.5% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
79.6%
+9.2 ptssince 2000
from 70.4% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
Graduate degree
5.1%
+1.2 ptssince 2000
from 3.9% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
23.1 min
+55%since 2000
from 14.9 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
Drive alone to work
83.0%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 83.2% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
Carpooled to work
11.0%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 11.2% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
Public transit
0.2%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
Worked from home
3.2%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
Walked to work
1.6%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
Biked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
No vehicle available
7.1%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 7.5% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

Self-employed
14.2%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 13.6% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
Management & professional
26.7%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 26.0% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.1%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 47.8% in 2009
Female
51.9%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 52.2% in 2009
Foreign born
2.6%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
Veterans
10.8%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married28.6%(7,506)
Married54%(14,171)
Widowed4.7%(1,232)
Divorced12.6%(3,310)
Women 15+
Never married24.6%(6,916)
Married49.5%(13,916)
Widowed12.7%(3,572)
Divorced13.2%(3,726)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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

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Head to head

Compare Rutherford County to nearby counties

RUTHERFORD COUNTY VS
Polk County
Income$67,758+92%
Home value$315,000+212%
Population20,533−69%
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RUTHERFORD COUNTY VS
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Income$57,168+62%
Home value$171,100+69%
Population45,198−31%
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RUTHERFORD COUNTY VS
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Income$58,534+66%
Home value$200,000+98%
Population103,325+57%
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RUTHERFORD COUNTY VS
Burke County
Income$58,592+66%
Home value$185,400+83%
Population88,655+35%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Rutherford County, North Carolina?

Rutherford County, North Carolina has about 67,810 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Rutherford County, North Carolina earns about $35,364 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 $101,100, and the typical rent is about $526 a month.

How educated are people in Rutherford County, North Carolina?

About 14.6% 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 20.7% 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 10,892 residents, a change of about 19 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 →