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COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Surry County

North Carolina · 71,219 residents · 533 sq mi
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The short version

With 71,219 people, Surry County is a county in North Carolina. 12% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 24% national rate. 76% of homes are owner-occupied. Home values have risen by half since 1990, reaching $78,800. Renters pay $411 a month at the median. Households here earn about 16% less than in North Carolina as a whole.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 38.0
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
71,219
+15%since 1990
from 61,704 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
38.0
+4%since 1990
from 36.5 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
533 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
61K64K68K71K75K19902000201020202024Surry County
202471K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 56.3%(4,508)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 96.8%(4,851)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.6%(4,731)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 196.1%(4,341)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 245.6%(3,972)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3414%(9,958)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4415.1%(10,722)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5413.6%(9,688)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 6410.5%(7,475)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 748.1%(5,773)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 845.4%(3,874)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.9%(1,326)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$33,046
+7%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $23,444 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$17,722
+56%since 1990
from $11,342 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
12.4%
+1.0 ptssince 1990
from 11.4% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$78,800
+23%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $48,800 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$411
+7%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $292 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
76.3%
−0.3 ptssince 1990
from 76.6% in 1990
23.7% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic94.3%(58,212)
Black4.8%(2,961)
Hispanic / Latino0.9%(533)
Asian0%(30)
2000
White, non-Hispanic88%(62,668)
Black4.1%(2,911)
Hispanic / Latino6.5%(4,620)
Asian0.6%(399)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

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)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
12.0%
+2.7 ptssince 1990
from 9.4% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
67.0%
+9.7 ptssince 1990
from 57.3% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
3.3%
+0.4 ptssince 1990
from 2.9% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
17.2 min
−14%since 1990
from 20.0 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 married23%(6,365)
Married66.2%(18,320)
Widowed2.4%(659)
Divorced8.4%(2,333)
Women 15+
Never married13.5%(3,980)
Married63.2%(18,641)
Widowed14.3%(4,218)
Divorced9%(2,648)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
10.8%
−7.1 ptssince 2013
from 17.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
46.6%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 47.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
17.6%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 16.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
23.7%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 24.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
22.6%
+2.4 ptssince 2020
from 20.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.7%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 2.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
62.4%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 62.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
42.4%
+1.9 ptssince 2020
from 40.5% 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)17.5%(620)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)15.8%(561)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era42.9%(1,524)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.2%(186)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 3,550 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 Surry County to nearby counties

SURRY COUNTY VS
Yadkin County
Income$62,932+90%
Home value$181,200+130%
Population38,325−47%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SURRY COUNTY VS
Galax
Income$38,675+17%
Home value$141,300+79%
Population6,670−91%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SURRY COUNTY VS
Carroll County
Income$54,484+65%
Home value$156,500+99%
Population29,299−59%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SURRY COUNTY VS
Stokes County
Income$62,969+91%
Home value$196,700+150%
Population46,126−36%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Surry County, North Carolina?

Surry County, North Carolina has about 71,219 residents according to the 2000 Census.

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

The typical household in Surry County, North Carolina earns about $33,046 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 $78,800, and the typical rent is about $411 a month.

How educated are people in Surry County, North Carolina?

About 12.0% 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 12.4% 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 9,515 residents, a change of about 15 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 →