Burke County vs Caldwell County
A side-by-side comparison of Burke County and Caldwell County: population, income, housing, and more.
Burke County and Caldwell County are counties in North Carolina. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Burke County has the higher population (87,863 vs 80,618 in Caldwell County). Burke County has the higher median household income ($55,684 vs $55,401 in Caldwell County). Caldwell County has the higher median home value ($174,000 vs $170,500 in Burke County).
Population, income & housing
| Burke County | Caldwell County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 87,863 | 80,618 |
| Median age | 44.9 yrs | 45.5 yrs |
| Median household income | $55,684 | $55,401 |
| Median home value | $170,500 | $174,000 |
| Median gross rent | $805 | $735 |
| Housing units | 40,058 | 37,231 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.8% | 74.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.2% | 18.6% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.8% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Burke County | Caldwell County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 89,968 → 87,863 (-2.3%) | 81,884 → 80,618 (-1.5%) |
| Median household income | $44,557 → $55,684 (+25.0%) | $44,511 → $55,401 (+24.5%) |
| Median home value | $120,700 → $170,500 (+41.3%) | $118,100 → $174,000 (+47.3%) |
| Median gross rent | $648 → $805 (+24.2%) | $645 → $735 (+14.0%) |
Burke County
89,96887,863
$44,557$55,684
$120,700$170,500
$648$805
Caldwell County
81,88480,618
$44,511$55,401
$118,100$174,000
$645$735
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Burke County | Caldwell County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 4.8% | 4.9% |
| 5 to 17 | 13.8% | 15.0% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.9% | 7.7% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.1% | 11.3% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.5% | 10.5% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.3% | 14.7% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.3% | 14.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.2% | 12.7% |
| 75 and over | 9.1% | 8.4% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Burke County | Caldwell County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 79.3% | 85.7% |
| Black or African American | 5.9% | 4.1% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 3.3% | 0.5% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 0.5% | 0.1% |
| Two or more races | 2.5% | 3.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.2% | 6.4% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Burke County | Caldwell County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 14.9% | 17.2% |
| High school graduate | 33.1% | 31.7% |
| Some college or associate's | 31.9% | 32.5% |
| Bachelor's degree | 12.8% | 13.0% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 7.3% | 5.6% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Burke County | Caldwell County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 83.4% | 81.5% |
| Carpooled | 9.9% | 10.6% |
| Public transit | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Walked | 0.5% | 0.7% |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 5.4% | 6.3% |
| Other means | 0.6% | 1.0% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Burke County | Caldwell County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 70.7% | 72.2% |
| 1-unit, attached | 1.0% | 1.0% |
| 2 to 4 units | 4.5% | 5.7% |
| 5 to 19 units | 3.8% | 3.3% |
| 20 or more units | 1.1% | 1.5% |
| Mobile home & other | 18.9% | 16.4% |
Poverty & households
| Burke County | Caldwell County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 17.9% | 12.7% |
| Average household size | 2.37 | 2.43 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 24 | 27 |
| Median year structure built | 1980 | 1981 |
Full profiles
2Related rankings
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