Caldwell County vs Chatham County
A side-by-side comparison of Caldwell County and Chatham County: population, income, housing, and more.
Caldwell County and Chatham County are counties in North Carolina. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Caldwell County has the higher population (80,618 vs 78,319 in Chatham County). Chatham County has the higher median household income ($88,534 vs $55,401 in Caldwell County). Chatham County has the higher median home value ($397,800 vs $174,000 in Caldwell County).
Population, income & housing
| Caldwell County | Chatham County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 80,618 | 78,319 |
| Median age | 45.5 yrs | 47.6 yrs |
| Median household income | $55,401 | $88,534 |
| Median home value | $174,000 | $397,800 |
| Median gross rent | $735 | $1,066 |
| Housing units | 37,231 | 35,013 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.0% | 80.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.6% | 48.0% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 3.0% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Caldwell County | Chatham County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 81,884 → 80,618 (-1.5%) | 71,338 → 78,319 (+9.8%) |
| Median household income | $44,511 → $55,401 (+24.5%) | $67,031 → $88,534 (+32.1%) |
| Median home value | $118,100 → $174,000 (+47.3%) | $281,700 → $397,800 (+41.2%) |
| Median gross rent | $645 → $735 (+14.0%) | $845 → $1,066 (+26.2%) |
Caldwell County
81,88480,618
$44,511$55,401
$118,100$174,000
$645$735
Chatham County
71,33878,319
$67,031$88,534
$281,700$397,800
$845$1,066
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Caldwell County | Chatham County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 4.9% | 4.6% |
| 5 to 17 | 15.0% | 15.1% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.7% | 6.6% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.3% | 9.1% |
| 35 to 44 | 10.5% | 11.3% |
| 45 to 54 | 14.7% | 13.3% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.7% | 15.0% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.7% | 14.2% |
| 75 and over | 8.4% | 10.8% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Caldwell County | Chatham County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 85.7% | 69.8% |
| Black or African American | 4.1% | 10.3% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 0.5% | 2.0% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| Two or more races | 3.1% | 3.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 6.4% | 13.4% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Caldwell County | Chatham County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 17.2% | 9.6% |
| High school graduate | 31.7% | 18.0% |
| Some college or associate's | 32.5% | 24.3% |
| Bachelor's degree | 13.0% | 25.2% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 5.6% | 22.8% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Caldwell County | Chatham County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 81.5% | 71.2% |
| Carpooled | 10.6% | 5.4% |
| Public transit | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| Walked | 0.7% | 1.6% |
| Bicycle | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Worked from home | 6.3% | 20.1% |
| Other means | 1.0% | 1.2% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Caldwell County | Chatham County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 72.2% | 76.4% |
| 1-unit, attached | 1.0% | 3.9% |
| 2 to 4 units | 5.7% | 2.6% |
| 5 to 19 units | 3.3% | 2.3% |
| 20 or more units | 1.5% | 1.7% |
| Mobile home & other | 16.4% | 13.1% |
Poverty & households
| Caldwell County | Chatham County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 12.7% | 10.5% |
| Average household size | 2.43 | 2.41 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 27 | 27 |
| Median year structure built | 1981 | 1997 |
Full profiles
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