Caldwell County, North Carolina

8 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 80,618
Median household income: $55,401
Median home value: $174,000

Caldwell County is a county in North Carolina with a population of 80,618. 8 cities and places have their primary county here. Its median household income of $55,401 runs below the North Carolina figure of $69,904.

From 2019 to 2023, Caldwell County's population declined 1.5% from 81,884 to 80,618, while its median household income rose 24.5% from $44,511 to $55,401.

The largest age group is 5 to 17, 15.0% of residents. White (non-Hispanic) residents are the largest group, 85.7% of the population.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 80,618
Median age: 45.5 yrs
Median household income: $55,401
Median home value: $174,000
Median gross rent: $735
Housing units: 37,231
Homeownership rate: 74.0%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 18.6%
Unemployment rate: 4.8%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

81,88480,618

Median household income

$44,511$55,401

Median home value

$118,100$174,000

Median gross rent

$645$735

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	81,884	$44,511	$118,100	$645
2020	82,056	$46,094	$125,200	$647
2021	80,705	$48,549	$136,100	$669
2022	80,716	$52,362	$158,300	$717
2023	80,618	$55,401	$174,000	$735

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

Age distribution

Under 54.9%

5 to 1715.0%

18 to 247.7%

25 to 3411.3%

35 to 4410.5%

45 to 5414.7%

55 to 6414.7%

65 to 7412.7%

75 and over8.4%

	Count	Share
Under 5	3,959	4.9%
5 to 17	12,080	15.0%
18 to 24	6,172	7.7%
25 to 34	9,104	11.3%
35 to 44	8,496	10.5%
45 to 54	11,891	14.7%
55 to 64	11,856	14.7%
65 to 74	10,253	12.7%
75 and over	6,807	8.4%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	69,065	85.7%
Black or African American	3,294	4.1%
American Indian & Alaska Native	72	0.1%
Asian	403	0.5%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	81	0.1%
Some other race	43	0.1%
Two or more races	2,500	3.1%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	5,160	6.4%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma17.2%

High school graduate31.7%

Some college or associate's32.5%

Bachelor's degree13.0%

Graduate or professional degree5.6%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	10,057	17.2%
High school graduate	18,505	31.7%
Some college or associate's	18,990	32.5%
Bachelor's degree	7,571	13.0%
Graduate or professional degree	3,284	5.6%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 27 min

Drove alone81.5%

Carpooled10.6%

Public transit0.0%

Walked0.7%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home6.3%

Other means1.0%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	29,188	81.5%
Carpooled	3,781	10.6%
Public transit	1	0.0%
Walked	245	0.7%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	2,266	6.3%
Other means	342	1.0%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	9,596	28.6%
15 to 29 min	12,405	37.0%
30 to 44 min	7,025	20.9%
45 to 59 min	2,250	6.7%
60+ min	2,281	6.8%

Households

Average household size: 2.43
Poverty rate: 12.7% (10,087 of 79,545)

	Count	Share
Family households	21,762	66.4%
Nonfamily households	11,004	33.6%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1981

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	32,766	88.0%
Vacant	4,465	12.0%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	24,251	74.0%
Renter-occupied	8,515	26.0%

1-unit, detached72.2%

1-unit, attached1.0%

2 to 4 units5.7%

5 to 19 units3.3%

20 or more units1.5%

Mobile home & other16.4%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	26,874	72.2%
1-unit, attached	354	1.0%
2 to 4 units	2,109	5.7%
5 to 19 units	1,224	3.3%
20 or more units	556	1.5%
Mobile home & other	6,114	16.4%

Geography

County GEOID: 37027
State: North Carolina
Land area: 472 sq mi
Water area: 2.73 sq mi
Center point: 35.9664, -81.5125