Ashe County, North Carolina

3 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 26,831
Median household income: $50,827
Median home value: $221,900

Ashe County is a county in North Carolina with a population of 26,831. 3 cities and places have their primary county here. At $50,827, its median household income sits below North Carolina's $69,904.

From 2019 to 2023, Ashe County's population held roughly steady from 26,863 to 26,831, while its median household income rose 24.1% from $40,962 to $50,827.

The largest age group is 55 to 64, 16.2% of residents. White (non-Hispanic) residents are the largest group, 91.2% of the population.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 26,831
Median age: 49.8 yrs
Median household income: $50,827
Median home value: $221,900
Median gross rent: $774
Housing units: 17,111
Homeownership rate: 78.4%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 22.4%
Unemployment rate: 5.4%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

26,86326,831

Median household income

$40,962$50,827

Median home value

$153,200$221,900

Median gross rent

$634$774

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	26,863	$40,962	$153,200	$634
2020	27,009	$43,030	$158,200	$657
2021	26,598	$43,938	$170,700	$673
2022	26,759	$49,176	$199,200	$730
2023	26,831	$50,827	$221,900	$774

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 53.9%

5 to 1713.1%

18 to 246.2%

25 to 3410.5%

35 to 4410.6%

45 to 5412.6%

55 to 6416.2%

65 to 7415.7%

75 and over11.2%

	Count	Share
Under 5	1,034	3.9%
5 to 17	3,518	13.1%
18 to 24	1,653	6.2%
25 to 34	2,822	10.5%
35 to 44	2,857	10.6%
45 to 54	3,372	12.6%
55 to 64	4,339	16.2%
65 to 74	4,222	15.7%
75 and over	3,014	11.2%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	24,470	91.2%
Black or African American	266	1.0%
American Indian & Alaska Native	63	0.2%
Asian	100	0.4%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	35	0.1%
Two or more races	328	1.2%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1,569	5.8%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma12.5%

High school graduate30.9%

Some college or associate's34.2%

Bachelor's degree14.4%

Graduate or professional degree8.0%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	2,578	12.5%
High school graduate	6,382	30.9%
Some college or associate's	7,044	34.2%
Bachelor's degree	2,977	14.4%
Graduate or professional degree	1,645	8.0%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 25 min

Drove alone79.5%

Carpooled9.6%

Public transit0.1%

Walked1.3%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home9.4%

Other means0.2%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	8,627	79.5%
Carpooled	1,038	9.6%
Public transit	9	0.1%
Walked	137	1.3%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	1,016	9.4%
Other means	26	0.2%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	2,892	29.4%
15 to 29 min	3,589	36.5%
30 to 44 min	2,059	20.9%
45 to 59 min	712	7.2%
60+ min	585	5.9%

Households

Average household size: 2.20
Poverty rate: 14.1% (3,724 of 26,504)

	Count	Share
Family households	8,058	67.2%
Nonfamily households	3,941	32.8%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1981

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	11,999	70.1%
Vacant	5,112	29.9%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	9,405	78.4%
Renter-occupied	2,594	21.6%

1-unit, detached74.8%

1-unit, attached1.0%

2 to 4 units4.7%

5 to 19 units1.5%

20 or more units1.3%

Mobile home & other16.7%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	12,803	74.8%
1-unit, attached	166	1.0%
2 to 4 units	802	4.7%
5 to 19 units	256	1.5%
20 or more units	224	1.3%
Mobile home & other	2,860	16.7%

Geography

County GEOID: 37009
State: North Carolina
Land area: 426 sq mi
Water area: 3.11 sq mi
Center point: 36.4435, -81.4993