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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Rutherford County

North Carolina · 64,444 residents · 565 sq mi
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The short version

With 64,444 people, Rutherford County is a county in North Carolina. At a median age of 45.6, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $125,100. The foreign-born share is 3%. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 24%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 45.6
US median: 38.8
Less educated
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
64,444
+2%since 2000
from 62,899 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
45.6
+19%since 2000
from 38.3 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
565 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
56K59K62K66K69K19902000201020202024Rutherford County
202465K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 54.9%(3,148)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.5%(3,564)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146.1%(3,916)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196%(3,887)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.1%(3,306)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3410.6%(6,821)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411%(7,103)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5413.7%(8,828)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6415.1%(9,705)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7413.3%(8,577)
US avg: 10%
75 to 846.5%(4,213)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.1%(1,376)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$43,183
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,122 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$24,308
+49%since 2000
from $16,270 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
23.5%
+8.1 ptssince 2009
from 15.4% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
17.8%
+3.9 ptssince 2000
from 13.9% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade19.8%
US avg: 10%
Information12.2%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade6.6%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance5.7%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical4.2%
US avg: 4.7%
Other services4%
US avg: 6.6%
Public administration2.7%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing1.6%
US avg: 2.5%
Education & health services1.5%
US avg: 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.4%
US avg: 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
US avg: 2%
Construction0.9%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.5%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$125,100
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $71,300 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$655
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $404 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
71.3%
−3.2 ptssince 2000
from 74.5% in 2000
28.7% rent
Persons per household
2.38 people
+2%since 2009
from 2.34 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
2.9
+3%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%
2020
White, non-Hispanic80.7%(52,026)
Black9.1%(5,836)
Hispanic / Latino5.1%(3,286)
Asian0.5%(343)
Other2.9%(1,859)
Segregation Score
31
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
Mexican2.4%(1,621)
Colombian0.6%(387)
Spaniard0.5%(331)
Puerto Rican0.3%(181)
Salvadoran0.3%(181)
Cuban0.3%(177)
Argentine0.1%(51)
Nicaraguan0.1%(37)
Asian origin
Vietnamese0.2%(103)
Asian Indian0.1%(80)
Thai0.1%(54)
Bangladeshi0.1%(41)
Korean0.1%(34)
Japanese0%(15)
Chinese0%(12)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
American15.6%(10,416)
English12.2%(8,162)
German10.1%(6,710)
Irish8.7%(5,816)
Scotch-Irish3.7%(2,453)
Scottish2.5%(1,655)
Italian2.2%(1,437)
French1.2%(789)
Welsh1.1%(746)
Polish1%(695)
Dutch0.7%(434)
British0.4%(267)
+ 27 more ancestry groups with data
Russian0.4%(257)
Norwegian0.3%(227)
Swiss0.2%(166)
Canadian0.2%(142)
Czech0.2%(133)
Austrian0.1%(79)
Ukrainian0.1%(78)
Danish0.1%(65)
Swedish0.1%(65)
Armenian0.1%(59)
Slovak0.1%(56)
Finnish0.1%(49)
Greek0%(33)
Serbian0%(31)
Brazilian0%(29)
Hungarian0%(27)
Croatian0%(13)
Belgian0%(12)
Slovene0%(5)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
19.2%
+6.7 ptssince 2000
from 12.5% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
84.9%
+14.5 ptssince 2000
from 70.4% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
6.2%
+2.3 ptssince 2000
from 3.9% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
25.1 min
+69%since 2000
from 14.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
81.4%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 83.2% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
6.6%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 7.5% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
6.7%
−6.4 ptssince 2011
from 13.2% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
52.9%
−3.2 ptssince 2011
from 56.1% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
61.9%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
28.4%
+2.3 ptssince 2009
from 26.0% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.5%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 47.8% in 2009
Female
51.5%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 52.2% in 2009
Foreign born
2.9%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
12.9%
−5.1 ptssince 2013
from 18.0% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
84.7%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
86.5%
US average: 86.2%
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

Uninsured
12.9%
−5.1 ptssince 2013
from 18.0% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
44.0%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
17.7%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
25.4%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
23.7%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
3.7%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
59.3%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
45.5%
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)14.1%(565)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)17.5%(700)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era45.2%(1,809)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War7.4%(298)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II2.6%(103)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 4,003 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
DeKalb County
Pop 74,085
Places similar to Rutherford County
Head to head

Compare Rutherford County to nearby counties

RUTHERFORD COUNTY VS
Polk County
Income$67,758+57%
Home value$315,000+152%
Population20,533−69%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RUTHERFORD COUNTY VS
McDowell County
Income$57,168+32%
Home value$171,100+37%
Population45,198−31%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RUTHERFORD COUNTY VS
Cleveland County
Income$58,534+36%
Home value$200,000+60%
Population103,325+57%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RUTHERFORD COUNTY VS
Burke County
Income$58,592+36%
Home value$185,400+48%
Population88,655+35%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Rutherford County, North Carolina?

Rutherford County, North Carolina has about 64,444 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Rutherford County, North Carolina earns about $43,183 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 $125,100, and the typical rent is about $655 a month.

How educated are people in Rutherford County, North Carolina?

About 19.2% 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 17.8% 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 7,526 residents, a change of about 13 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 →