Morganton

Population: 17,541
Median household income: $49,434
Median home value: $208,300

Located in Burke County, North Carolina, Morganton is a community with a population of 17,541. Its median household income of $49,434 runs below the Burke County figure of $55,684.

Between 2019 and 2023, Morganton's population grew 6.4% from 16,481 to 17,541, while its median home value rose 30.1% from $160,100 to $208,300.

23.0% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Owners occupy 51.8% of the area's occupied homes.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 17,541
Median age: 38.5 yrs
Median household income: $49,434
Median home value: $208,300
Median gross rent: $909
Housing units: 7,328
Homeownership rate: 51.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 23.0%
Unemployment rate: 3.6%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

16,48117,541

Median household income

$42,137$49,434

Median home value

$160,100$208,300

Median gross rent

$685$909

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	16,481	$42,137	$160,100	$685
2020	16,517	$40,406	$153,400	$684
2021	17,389	$43,103	$158,400	$726
2022	17,457	$47,715	$179,600	$793
2023	17,541	$49,434	$208,300	$909

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

Age distribution

Under 57.5%

5 to 1717.7%

18 to 248.5%

25 to 3413.1%

35 to 4411.2%

45 to 5411.0%

55 to 6410.0%

65 to 7412.3%

75 and over8.6%

	Count	Share
Under 5	1,322	7.5%
5 to 17	3,098	17.7%
18 to 24	1,485	8.5%
25 to 34	2,305	13.1%
35 to 44	1,970	11.2%
45 to 54	1,933	11.0%
55 to 64	1,762	10.0%
65 to 74	2,154	12.3%
75 and over	1,512	8.6%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	10,112	57.6%
Black or African American	2,323	13.2%
American Indian & Alaska Native	16	0.1%
Asian	357	2.0%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	313	1.8%
Two or more races	342	1.9%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	4,078	23.2%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma23.1%

High school graduate25.5%

Some college or associate's28.4%

Bachelor's degree12.8%

Graduate or professional degree10.2%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	2,689	23.1%
High school graduate	2,967	25.5%
Some college or associate's	3,301	28.4%
Bachelor's degree	1,491	12.8%
Graduate or professional degree	1,188	10.2%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 19 min

Drove alone75.9%

Carpooled15.7%

Public transit0.0%

Walked0.3%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home6.8%

Other means1.2%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	5,486	75.9%
Carpooled	1,137	15.7%
Public transit	0	0.0%
Walked	22	0.3%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	493	6.8%
Other means	87	1.2%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	3,252	48.3%
15 to 29 min	1,547	23.0%
30 to 44 min	1,290	19.2%
45 to 59 min	337	5.0%
60+ min	306	4.5%

Households

Average household size: 2.45
Poverty rate: 29.9% (4,992 of 16,694)

	Count	Share
Family households	4,385	65.6%
Nonfamily households	2,297	34.4%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1972

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	6,682	91.2%
Vacant	646	8.8%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	3,462	51.8%
Renter-occupied	3,220	48.2%

1-unit, detached60.1%

1-unit, attached1.9%

2 to 4 units15.1%

5 to 19 units12.8%

20 or more units4.4%

Mobile home & other5.7%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	4,403	60.1%
1-unit, attached	142	1.9%
2 to 4 units	1,106	15.1%
5 to 19 units	935	12.8%
20 or more units	321	4.4%
Mobile home & other	421	5.7%

Geography

Place GEOID: 3744400
Type (LSAD): 25
Land area: 19 sq mi
Water area: 0 sq mi
Center point: 35.7408, -81.7003