Lee County vs Rutherford County
A side-by-side comparison of Lee County and Rutherford County: population, income, housing, and more.
Lee County and Rutherford County are counties in North Carolina. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Rutherford County has the higher population (64,850 vs 64,565 in Lee County). Lee County has the higher median household income ($63,060 vs $49,771 in Rutherford County). Lee County has the higher median home value ($213,800 vs $180,800 in Rutherford County).
Population, income & housing
| Lee County | Rutherford County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,565 | 64,850 |
| Median age | 39.9 yrs | 45.3 yrs |
| Median household income | $63,060 | $49,771 |
| Median home value | $213,800 | $180,800 |
| Median gross rent | $962 | $748 |
| Housing units | 26,854 | 32,682 |
| Homeownership rate | 66.0% | 74.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.6% | 20.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 5.5% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Lee County | Rutherford County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 60,481 → 64,565 (+6.8%) | 66,599 → 64,850 (-2.6%) |
| Median household income | $49,994 → $63,060 (+26.1%) | $42,608 → $49,771 (+16.8%) |
| Median home value | $144,200 → $213,800 (+48.3%) | $118,300 → $180,800 (+52.8%) |
| Median gross rent | $775 → $962 (+24.1%) | $636 → $748 (+17.6%) |
Lee County
60,48164,565
$49,994$63,060
$144,200$213,800
$775$962
Rutherford County
66,59964,850
$42,608$49,771
$118,300$180,800
$636$748
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Lee County | Rutherford County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 6.2% | 5.0% |
| 5 to 17 | 17.7% | 15.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.3% | 7.2% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.6% | 11.3% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.9% | 11.0% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.2% | 13.4% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.3% | 14.8% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.1% | 13.1% |
| 75 and over | 6.7% | 9.0% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Lee County | Rutherford County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 56.4% | 81.1% |
| Black or African American | 17.5% | 8.1% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Asian | 1.1% | 0.5% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.1% | 0.7% |
| Two or more races | 3.8% | 3.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 21.0% | 5.4% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Lee County | Rutherford County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 14.9% | 13.4% |
| High school graduate | 26.9% | 31.1% |
| Some college or associate's | 36.6% | 34.8% |
| Bachelor's degree | 14.8% | 13.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 6.8% | 7.4% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Lee County | Rutherford County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 80.7% | 81.2% |
| Carpooled | 10.4% | 9.0% |
| Public transit | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Walked | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| Bicycle | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Worked from home | 5.7% | 6.7% |
| Other means | 1.4% | 1.5% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Lee County | Rutherford County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 68.3% | 73.3% |
| 1-unit, attached | 0.7% | 1.8% |
| 2 to 4 units | 7.1% | 4.4% |
| 5 to 19 units | 7.3% | 2.6% |
| 20 or more units | 2.1% | 1.0% |
| Mobile home & other | 14.5% | 16.9% |
Poverty & households
| Lee County | Rutherford County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 15.5% | 17.6% |
| Average household size | 2.58 | 2.39 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 26 | 26 |
| Median year structure built | 1988 | 1980 |
Full profiles
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