Rowan County, North Carolina

11 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 148,487
Median household income: $63,196
Median home value: $216,100

Rowan County is a county in North Carolina with a population of 148,487. 11 cities and places have their primary county here. At $63,196, its median household income sits below North Carolina's $69,904.

From 2019 to 2023, Rowan County's population grew 5.8% from 140,296 to 148,487, while its median household income rose 26.8% from $49,842 to $63,196.

Owners occupy 71.2% of the area's occupied homes. The median resident is 40.5 years old.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 148,487
Median age: 40.5 yrs
Median household income: $63,196
Median home value: $216,100
Median gross rent: $990
Housing units: 64,263
Homeownership rate: 71.2%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 21.5%
Unemployment rate: 5.9%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

140,296148,487

Median household income

$49,842$63,196

Median home value

$136,400$216,100

Median gross rent

$772$990

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	140,296	$49,842	$136,400	$772
2020	140,978	$51,054	$146,600	$787
2021	145,784	$53,600	$155,700	$825
2022	147,067	$59,717	$187,300	$925
2023	148,487	$63,196	$216,100	$990

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

Age distribution

Under 55.6%

5 to 1716.7%

18 to 248.7%

25 to 3412.7%

35 to 4411.8%

45 to 5413.0%

55 to 6414.0%

65 to 7410.7%

75 and over6.9%

	Count	Share
Under 5	8,352	5.6%
5 to 17	24,748	16.7%
18 to 24	12,969	8.7%
25 to 34	18,814	12.7%
35 to 44	17,524	11.8%
45 to 54	19,303	13.0%
55 to 64	20,771	14.0%
65 to 74	15,831	10.7%
75 and over	10,175	6.9%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	101,680	68.5%
Black or African American	22,892	15.4%
American Indian & Alaska Native	149	0.1%
Asian	1,446	1.0%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	116	0.1%
Some other race	398	0.3%
Two or more races	5,022	3.4%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	16,784	11.3%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma11.9%

High school graduate32.3%

Some college or associate's34.2%

Bachelor's degree14.9%

Graduate or professional degree6.6%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	12,224	11.9%
High school graduate	33,109	32.3%
Some college or associate's	35,043	34.2%
Bachelor's degree	15,294	14.9%
Graduate or professional degree	6,748	6.6%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 26 min

Drove alone79.5%

Carpooled9.9%

Public transit0.3%

Walked1.0%

Bicycle0.3%

Worked from home7.8%

Other means1.3%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	52,330	79.5%
Carpooled	6,536	9.9%
Public transit	192	0.3%
Walked	629	1.0%
Bicycle	188	0.3%
Worked from home	5,114	7.8%
Other means	859	1.3%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	16,259	26.8%
15 to 29 min	23,319	38.4%
30 to 44 min	10,504	17.3%
45 to 59 min	5,933	9.8%
60+ min	4,719	7.8%

Households

Average household size: 2.50
Poverty rate: 15.8% (22,881 of 144,491)

	Count	Share
Family households	38,847	67.3%
Nonfamily households	18,915	32.7%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1982

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	57,762	89.9%
Vacant	6,501	10.1%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	41,152	71.2%
Renter-occupied	16,610	28.8%

1-unit, detached70.5%

1-unit, attached1.3%

2 to 4 units5.4%

5 to 19 units5.2%

20 or more units1.5%

Mobile home & other16.1%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	45,278	70.5%
1-unit, attached	864	1.3%
2 to 4 units	3,484	5.4%
5 to 19 units	3,358	5.2%
20 or more units	940	1.5%
Mobile home & other	10,339	16.1%

Geography

County GEOID: 37159
State: North Carolina
Land area: 512 sq mi
Water area: 12 sq mi
Center point: 35.6414, -80.5217