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COUNTY

Surry County

North Carolina · 72,287 residents (2025 est.) · 532.644 sq mi
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The short version

Surry County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $55,656. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 20% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $177,600.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 43.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
20% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
71,425
Unchangedsince 2000
from 71,219 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
134 / sq mi
−1%since 2009
from 135 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
43.8
+15%since 2000
from 38.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:72,287 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
61K64K68K71K75K1990201020202024Surry County
202471K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.2%(3,743)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.3%(4,531)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.5%(3,953)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196%(4,284)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.8%(4,117)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3411.4%(8,178)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411%(7,875)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5413.1%(9,374)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6414.9%(10,623)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411.8%(8,429)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 846.1%(4,385)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.7%(1,933)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$55,656
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,046 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$32,573
+84%since 2000
from $17,722 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
37.8%
+19.8 ptssince 2009
from 18.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
16.8%
+4.4 ptssince 2000
from 12.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.475
+7%since 2010
from 0.445 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade18.6%
US avg: 9.9%
Information12.3%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade8.5%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance5.8%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.3%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services3.4%
US avg: 6.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3.1%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction2.8%
US avg: 1.2%
Public administration2.4%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing1.6%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food0.9%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.5%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.3%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$177,600
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $78,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$761
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $411 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
73.4%
−2.9 ptssince 2000
from 76.3% in 2000
26.6% rent
Vacancy rate
11.5%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 12.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
18.7%
−3.0 ptssince 2009
from 21.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
37.7%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 37.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.2
+18%since 2009
from 2.7 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
46
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Surry County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic88%(62,668)
Black4.1%(2,911)
Hispanic / Latino6.5%(4,620)
Asian0.6%(399)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic81.1%(57,935)
Black3.6%(2,537)
Hispanic / Latino12.5%(8,952)
Asian0.7%(475)
Other2.1%(1,526)
Diversity Score
41
+26%since 2009
from 32 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
29
+25%since 2020
from 23 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

Hispanic origin
Mexican9.4%(6,686)
Puerto Rican1.2%(850)
Honduran0.6%(459)
Salvadoran0.3%(242)
Spaniard0.2%(162)
Cuban0.2%(111)
Guatemalan0.1%(77)
Colombian0.1%(56)
Dominican0.1%(54)
Asian origin
Vietnamese0.2%(173)
Chinese0.1%(55)
Korean0.1%(53)
Asian Indian0.1%(50)
Filipino0.1%(47)
Japanese0%(21)
Laotian0%(15)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(34)
Ancestry
English16.5%(11,813)
American12.3%(8,783)
Irish7.8%(5,567)
German7.2%(5,171)
Scottish1.7%(1,247)
Italian1.6%(1,139)
Scotch-Irish1.5%(1,083)
French1.1%(776)
Polish0.8%(582)
Welsh0.5%(377)
Norwegian0.4%(266)
Dutch0.4%(262)
+ 27 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish0.3%(232)
Turkish0.2%(161)
British0.2%(137)
Russian0.2%(129)
Czech0.2%(120)
Hungarian0.2%(114)
Swiss0.1%(104)
Ukrainian0.1%(76)
Austrian0.1%(64)
Portuguese0.1%(54)
Nigerian0.1%(52)
Greek0.1%(44)
Danish0.1%(38)
Armenian0%(34)
Slovak0%(25)
Canadian0%(22)
Ethiopian0%(18)
Bulgarian0%(15)
Jamaican0%(14)
Slovene0%(13)
Arab0%(12)
Serbian0%(11)
Syrian0%(5)
RANKED:Largest English population · Largest American population · Largest Mexican population · Largest Irish population · Largest German population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
20.4%
+8.3 ptssince 2000
from 12.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
83.7%
+16.7 ptssince 2000
from 67.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
7.1%
+3.8 ptssince 2000
from 3.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.3 min
+42%since 2000
from 17.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
78.1%
−4.6 ptssince 2009
from 82.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
13.8%
+2.5 ptssince 2009
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.1%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
6.7%
+3.2 ptssince 2009
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.6%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
4.8%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 6.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.4%
−4.4 ptssince 2011
from 8.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
57.1%
−3.7 ptssince 2011
from 60.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
12.4%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
32.1%
−24.7 ptssince 2009
from 56.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.6%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 48.5% in 2009
Female
51.4%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 51.5% in 2009
Foreign born
6.1%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 5.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.3%
−41.6 ptssince 2009
from 47.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
19.1%
+2.3 ptssince 2012
from 16.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
10.8%
−71.3 ptssince 2013
from 82.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
86.0%
+23.7 ptssince 2017
from 62.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
88.6%
−2.3 ptssince 2016
from 90.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
10.1%
+1.9 ptssince 2016
from 8.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married29%(8,344)
Married56.9%(16,382)
Widowed4.1%(1,169)
Divorced10.1%(2,901)
Women 15+
Never married21.9%(6,664)
Married51.7%(15,704)
Widowed13.1%(3,977)
Divorced13.3%(4,057)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Pop 72,844
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Head to head

Compare Surry County to nearby counties

SURRY COUNTY VS
Yadkin County
Income$62,932+13%
Home value$181,200+2%
Population38,325−47%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SURRY COUNTY VS
Galax
Income$38,675−31%
Home value$141,300−20%
Population6,670−91%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SURRY COUNTY VS
Carroll County
Income$54,484−2%
Home value$156,500−12%
Population29,299−59%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SURRY COUNTY VS
Stokes County
Income$62,969+13%
Home value$196,700+11%
Population46,126−36%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Surry County, North Carolina?

Surry County, North Carolina has about 71,425 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Surry County, North Carolina earns about $55,656 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Surry County, North Carolina expensive?

In Surry County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $177,600, and the typical rent is about $761 a month.

How educated are people in Surry County, North Carolina?

About 20.4% of adults age 25 and over in Surry County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

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

About 16.8% of people in Surry County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Surry County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Surry County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 9,721 residents, a change of about 16 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

23 census tracts (top 20 by population)
Census Tract 9310.02Census Tract 9301.02Census Tract 9309.01Census Tract 9307Census Tract 9311.02Census Tract 9312Census Tract 9302.02Census Tract 9303.02Census Tract 9310.03Census Tract 9306Census Tract 9305.01Census Tract 9302.01Census Tract 9304Census Tract 9311.01Census Tract 9305.02Census Tract 9308.04Census Tract 9308.02Census Tract 9310.01Census Tract 9308.03Census Tract 9301.01
9 ZIP codes
ZIP 27030ZIP 27017ZIP 28621ZIP 27041ZIP 28676ZIP 27024ZIP 27007ZIP 28683ZIP 27047
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →