Beaufort County vs McDowell County
A side-by-side comparison of Beaufort County and McDowell County: population, income, housing, and more.
Beaufort County and McDowell County are counties in North Carolina. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
McDowell County has the higher population (44,679 vs 44,597 in Beaufort County). Beaufort County has the higher median household income ($57,997 vs $55,527 in McDowell County). Beaufort County has the higher median home value ($181,200 vs $168,300 in McDowell County).
Population, income & housing
| Beaufort County | McDowell County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 44,597 | 44,679 |
| Median age | 47.1 yrs | 44.3 yrs |
| Median household income | $57,997 | $55,527 |
| Median home value | $181,200 | $168,300 |
| Median gross rent | $859 | $741 |
| Housing units | 24,385 | 21,475 |
| Homeownership rate | 70.1% | 74.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.6% | 17.6% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 4.7% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Beaufort County | McDowell County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 47,168 → 44,597 (-5.5%) | 45,227 → 44,679 (-1.2%) |
| Median household income | $45,212 → $57,997 (+28.3%) | $43,646 → $55,527 (+27.2%) |
| Median home value | $132,800 → $181,200 (+36.4%) | $119,200 → $168,300 (+41.2%) |
| Median gross rent | $740 → $859 (+16.1%) | $645 → $741 (+14.9%) |
Beaufort County
47,16844,597
$45,212$57,997
$132,800$181,200
$740$859
McDowell County
45,22744,679
$43,646$55,527
$119,200$168,300
$645$741
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Beaufort County | McDowell County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 4.7% | 4.6% |
| 5 to 17 | 14.7% | 15.1% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.0% | 7.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.9% | 12.2% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.1% | 12.0% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.1% | 13.3% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.6% | 14.9% |
| 65 to 74 | 15.1% | 12.5% |
| 75 and over | 9.8% | 8.2% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Beaufort County | McDowell County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 66.2% | 86.3% |
| Black or African American | 22.7% | 3.9% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| Asian | 0.2% | 1.1% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| Two or more races | 2.7% | 1.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.8% | 6.8% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Beaufort County | McDowell County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 11.9% | 13.9% |
| High school graduate | 31.7% | 35.0% |
| Some college or associate's | 35.8% | 33.5% |
| Bachelor's degree | 13.1% | 12.2% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 7.5% | 5.4% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Beaufort County | McDowell County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 83.5% | 83.6% |
| Carpooled | 5.5% | 8.9% |
| Public transit | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Walked | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 8.7% | 5.3% |
| Other means | 1.1% | 0.8% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Beaufort County | McDowell County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 65.9% | 68.5% |
| 1-unit, attached | 1.7% | 1.1% |
| 2 to 4 units | 4.7% | 1.9% |
| 5 to 19 units | 3.1% | 1.7% |
| 20 or more units | 1.0% | 0.9% |
| Mobile home & other | 23.6% | 25.8% |
Poverty & households
| Beaufort County | McDowell County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 18.0% | 14.0% |
| Average household size | 2.31 | 2.34 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 24 | 25 |
| Median year structure built | 1979 | 1983 |
Full profiles
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