Catawba County vs Rowan County
A side-by-side comparison of Catawba County and Rowan County: population, income, housing, and more.
Catawba County and Rowan County are counties in North Carolina. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Catawba County has the higher population (162,051 vs 148,487 in Rowan County). Catawba County has the higher median household income ($64,544 vs $63,196 in Rowan County). Catawba County has the higher median home value ($218,100 vs $216,100 in Rowan County).
Population, income & housing
| Catawba County | Rowan County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 162,051 | 148,487 |
| Median age | 41.8 yrs | 40.5 yrs |
| Median household income | $64,544 | $63,196 |
| Median home value | $218,100 | $216,100 |
| Median gross rent | $891 | $990 |
| Housing units | 72,028 | 64,263 |
| Homeownership rate | 72.7% | 71.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.9% | 21.5% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 5.9% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Catawba County | Rowan County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 157,613 → 162,051 (+2.8%) | 140,296 → 148,487 (+5.8%) |
| Median household income | $52,056 → $64,544 (+24.0%) | $49,842 → $63,196 (+26.8%) |
| Median home value | $143,600 → $218,100 (+51.9%) | $136,400 → $216,100 (+58.4%) |
| Median gross rent | $738 → $891 (+20.7%) | $772 → $990 (+28.2%) |
Catawba County
157,613162,051
$52,056$64,544
$143,600$218,100
$738$891
Rowan County
140,296148,487
$49,842$63,196
$136,400$216,100
$772$990
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Catawba County | Rowan County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.4% | 5.6% |
| 5 to 17 | 16.5% | 16.7% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.4% | 8.7% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.1% | 12.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.7% | 11.8% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.5% | 13.0% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.1% | 14.0% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.0% | 10.7% |
| 75 and over | 7.4% | 6.9% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Catawba County | Rowan County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 72.6% | 68.5% |
| Black or African American | 7.9% | 15.4% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 4.1% | 1.0% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Two or more races | 4.0% | 3.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 11.1% | 11.3% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Catawba County | Rowan County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 12.5% | 11.9% |
| High school graduate | 28.8% | 32.3% |
| Some college or associate's | 33.7% | 34.2% |
| Bachelor's degree | 17.7% | 14.9% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 7.3% | 6.6% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Catawba County | Rowan County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 80.8% | 79.5% |
| Carpooled | 9.4% | 9.9% |
| Public transit | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Walked | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| Bicycle | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Worked from home | 7.5% | 7.8% |
| Other means | 1.2% | 1.3% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Catawba County | Rowan County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 67.7% | 70.5% |
| 1-unit, attached | 3.8% | 1.3% |
| 2 to 4 units | 5.6% | 5.4% |
| 5 to 19 units | 7.0% | 5.2% |
| 20 or more units | 2.9% | 1.5% |
| Mobile home & other | 12.9% | 16.1% |
Poverty & households
| Catawba County | Rowan County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 12.8% | 15.8% |
| Average household size | 2.45 | 2.50 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 23 | 26 |
| Median year structure built | 1984 | 1982 |
Full profiles
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