Catawba County, North Carolina

11 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 162,051
Median household income: $64,544
Median home value: $218,100

Catawba County, North Carolina counts 162,051 residents. 11 cities and places have their primary county here. At $64,544, its median household income sits below North Carolina's $69,904.

Between 2019 and 2023, Catawba County's population grew 2.8% from 157,613 to 162,051, while its median household income rose 24.0% from $52,056 to $64,544.

Owners occupy 72.7% of the area's occupied homes. The median resident is 41.8 years old.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 162,051
Median age: 41.8 yrs
Median household income: $64,544
Median home value: $218,100
Median gross rent: $891
Housing units: 72,028
Homeownership rate: 72.7%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 24.9%
Unemployment rate: 4.2%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

157,613162,051

Median household income

$52,056$64,544

Median home value

$143,600$218,100

Median gross rent

$738$891

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	157,613	$52,056	$143,600	$738
2020	158,507	$54,690	$156,200	$754
2021	159,852	$57,840	$163,100	$786
2022	161,011	$62,070	$194,000	$866
2023	162,051	$64,544	$218,100	$891

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

Age distribution

Under 55.4%

5 to 1716.5%

18 to 248.4%

25 to 3412.1%

35 to 4411.7%

45 to 5413.5%

55 to 6414.1%

65 to 7411.0%

75 and over7.4%

	Count	Share
Under 5	8,762	5.4%
5 to 17	26,669	16.5%
18 to 24	13,543	8.4%
25 to 34	19,584	12.1%
35 to 44	18,903	11.7%
45 to 54	21,874	13.5%
55 to 64	22,859	14.1%
65 to 74	17,885	11.0%
75 and over	11,972	7.4%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	117,583	72.6%
Black or African American	12,855	7.9%
American Indian & Alaska Native	122	0.1%
Asian	6,681	4.1%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	33	0.0%
Some other race	421	0.3%
Two or more races	6,402	4.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	17,954	11.1%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma12.5%

High school graduate28.8%

Some college or associate's33.7%

Bachelor's degree17.7%

Graduate or professional degree7.3%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	14,136	12.5%
High school graduate	32,589	28.8%
Some college or associate's	38,158	33.7%
Bachelor's degree	19,976	17.7%
Graduate or professional degree	8,218	7.3%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 23 min

Drove alone80.8%

Carpooled9.4%

Public transit0.2%

Walked0.7%

Bicycle0.1%

Worked from home7.5%

Other means1.2%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	61,014	80.8%
Carpooled	7,123	9.4%
Public transit	187	0.2%
Walked	556	0.7%
Bicycle	79	0.1%
Worked from home	5,679	7.5%
Other means	874	1.2%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	21,801	31.2%
15 to 29 min	30,102	43.1%
30 to 44 min	10,390	14.9%
45 to 59 min	3,273	4.7%
60+ min	4,267	6.1%

Households

Average household size: 2.45
Poverty rate: 12.8% (20,376 of 158,926)

	Count	Share
Family households	43,887	67.3%
Nonfamily households	21,314	32.7%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1984

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	65,201	90.5%
Vacant	6,827	9.5%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	47,414	72.7%
Renter-occupied	17,787	27.3%

1-unit, detached67.7%

1-unit, attached3.8%

2 to 4 units5.6%

5 to 19 units7.0%

20 or more units2.9%

Mobile home & other12.9%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	48,798	67.7%
1-unit, attached	2,708	3.8%
2 to 4 units	4,035	5.6%
5 to 19 units	5,065	7.0%
20 or more units	2,110	2.9%
Mobile home & other	9,312	12.9%

Geography

County GEOID: 37035
State: North Carolina
Land area: 401 sq mi
Water area: 15 sq mi
Center point: 35.6619, -81.2149