McDowell County, North Carolina

5 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 44,679
Median household income: $55,527
Median home value: $168,300

McDowell County is a county in North Carolina with a population of 44,679. 5 cities and places have their primary county here. At $55,527, its median household income sits below North Carolina's $69,904.

From 2019 to 2023, McDowell County's population declined 1.2% from 45,227 to 44,679, while its median household income rose 27.2% from $43,646 to $55,527.

The median gross rent is $741. 17.6% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 44,679
Median age: 44.3 yrs
Median household income: $55,527
Median home value: $168,300
Median gross rent: $741
Housing units: 21,475
Homeownership rate: 74.0%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 17.6%
Unemployment rate: 4.7%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

45,22744,679

Median household income

$43,646$55,527

Median home value

$119,200$168,300

Median gross rent

$645$741

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	45,227	$43,646	$119,200	$645
2020	45,402	$47,085	$129,400	$647
2021	44,527	$50,615	$132,300	$687
2022	44,629	$53,532	$153,300	$725
2023	44,679	$55,527	$168,300	$741

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

Age distribution

Under 54.6%

5 to 1715.1%

18 to 247.1%

25 to 3412.2%

35 to 4412.0%

45 to 5413.3%

55 to 6414.9%

65 to 7412.5%

75 and over8.2%

	Count	Share
Under 5	2,056	4.6%
5 to 17	6,762	15.1%
18 to 24	3,173	7.1%
25 to 34	5,436	12.2%
35 to 44	5,368	12.0%
45 to 54	5,956	13.3%
55 to 64	6,671	14.9%
65 to 74	5,586	12.5%
75 and over	3,671	8.2%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	38,572	86.3%
Black or African American	1,723	3.9%
American Indian & Alaska Native	158	0.4%
Asian	483	1.1%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	0	0.0%
Two or more races	715	1.6%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	3,028	6.8%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma13.9%

High school graduate35.0%

Some college or associate's33.5%

Bachelor's degree12.2%

Graduate or professional degree5.4%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	4,537	13.9%
High school graduate	11,446	35.0%
Some college or associate's	10,966	33.5%
Bachelor's degree	3,985	12.2%
Graduate or professional degree	1,754	5.4%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 25 min

Drove alone83.6%

Carpooled8.9%

Public transit0.0%

Walked1.3%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home5.3%

Other means0.8%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	15,274	83.6%
Carpooled	1,632	8.9%
Public transit	6	0.0%
Walked	234	1.3%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	968	5.3%
Other means	152	0.8%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	4,601	26.6%
15 to 29 min	6,958	40.2%
30 to 44 min	3,349	19.4%
45 to 59 min	1,405	8.1%
60+ min	985	5.7%

Households

Average household size: 2.34
Poverty rate: 14.0% (6,057 of 43,337)

	Count	Share
Family households	12,868	69.8%
Nonfamily households	5,577	30.2%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1983

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	18,445	85.9%
Vacant	3,030	14.1%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	13,657	74.0%
Renter-occupied	4,788	26.0%

1-unit, detached68.5%

1-unit, attached1.1%

2 to 4 units1.9%

5 to 19 units1.7%

20 or more units0.9%

Mobile home & other25.8%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	14,715	68.5%
1-unit, attached	238	1.1%
2 to 4 units	407	1.9%
5 to 19 units	373	1.7%
20 or more units	197	0.9%
Mobile home & other	5,545	25.8%

Geography

County GEOID: 37111
State: North Carolina
Land area: 440 sq mi
Water area: 5.4 sq mi
Center point: 35.6823, -82.0480