McDowell County vs Richmond County
A side-by-side comparison of McDowell County and Richmond County: population, income, housing, and more.
McDowell County and Richmond 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 42,818 in Richmond County). McDowell County has the higher median household income ($55,527 vs $43,626 in Richmond County). McDowell County has the higher median home value ($168,300 vs $120,800 in Richmond County).
Population, income & housing
| McDowell County | Richmond County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 44,679 | 42,818 |
| Median age | 44.3 yrs | 40.3 yrs |
| Median household income | $55,527 | $43,626 |
| Median home value | $168,300 | $120,800 |
| Median gross rent | $741 | $744 |
| Housing units | 21,475 | 19,840 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.0% | 64.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.6% | 16.2% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 9.6% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| McDowell County | Richmond County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 45,227 → 44,679 (-1.2%) | 44,997 → 42,818 (-4.8%) |
| Median household income | $43,646 → $55,527 (+27.2%) | $36,148 → $43,626 (+20.7%) |
| Median home value | $119,200 → $168,300 (+41.2%) | $83,200 → $120,800 (+45.2%) |
| Median gross rent | $645 → $741 (+14.9%) | $664 → $744 (+12.0%) |
McDowell County
45,22744,679
$43,646$55,527
$119,200$168,300
$645$741
Richmond County
44,99742,818
$36,148$43,626
$83,200$120,800
$664$744
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| McDowell County | Richmond County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 4.6% | 6.1% |
| 5 to 17 | 15.1% | 17.5% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.1% | 8.5% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.2% | 12.3% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.0% | 11.9% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.3% | 12.5% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.9% | 13.3% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.5% | 10.9% |
| 75 and over | 8.2% | 7.0% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| McDowell County | Richmond County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 86.3% | 55.1% |
| Black or African American | 3.9% | 31.7% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.4% | 2.1% |
| Asian | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Two or more races | 1.6% | 2.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 6.8% | 7.5% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| McDowell County | Richmond County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 13.9% | 15.8% |
| High school graduate | 35.0% | 30.6% |
| Some college or associate's | 33.5% | 37.4% |
| Bachelor's degree | 12.2% | 10.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 5.4% | 5.9% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| McDowell County | Richmond County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 83.6% | 85.9% |
| Carpooled | 8.9% | 9.2% |
| Public transit | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Walked | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| Bicycle | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 5.3% | 2.7% |
| Other means | 0.8% | 0.6% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| McDowell County | Richmond County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 68.5% | 68.8% |
| 1-unit, attached | 1.1% | 0.5% |
| 2 to 4 units | 1.9% | 6.2% |
| 5 to 19 units | 1.7% | 3.4% |
| 20 or more units | 0.9% | 2.0% |
| Mobile home & other | 25.8% | 19.2% |
Poverty & households
| McDowell County | Richmond County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 14.0% | 25.2% |
| Average household size | 2.34 | 2.47 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 25 | 25 |
| Median year structure built | 1983 | 1975 |
Full profiles
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