Rutherford County, North Carolina

11 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 64,850
Median household income: $49,771
Median home value: $180,800

Home to 64,850 residents, Rutherford County is one of North Carolina's counties. 11 cities and places have their primary county here. Its median household income of $49,771 runs below the North Carolina figure of $69,904.

Between 2019 and 2023, Rutherford County's population declined 2.6% from 66,599 to 64,850, while its median household income rose 16.8% from $42,608 to $49,771.

The largest age group is 5 to 17, 15.3% of residents. White (non-Hispanic) residents are the largest group, 81.1% of the population.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 64,850
Median age: 45.3 yrs
Median household income: $49,771
Median home value: $180,800
Median gross rent: $748
Housing units: 32,682
Homeownership rate: 74.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 20.7%
Unemployment rate: 5.5%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

66,59964,850

Median household income

$42,608$49,771

Median home value

$118,300$180,800

Median gross rent

$636$748

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	66,599	$42,608	$118,300	$636
2020	66,741	$43,183	$125,100	$655
2021	64,592	$45,500	$133,600	$685
2022	64,680	$50,512	$158,200	$729
2023	64,850	$49,771	$180,800	$748

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

Age distribution

Under 55.0%

5 to 1715.3%

18 to 247.2%

25 to 3411.3%

35 to 4411.0%

45 to 5413.4%

55 to 6414.8%

65 to 7413.1%

75 and over9.0%

	Count	Share
Under 5	3,241	5.0%
5 to 17	9,897	15.3%
18 to 24	4,647	7.2%
25 to 34	7,321	11.3%
35 to 44	7,145	11.0%
45 to 54	8,685	13.4%
55 to 64	9,580	14.8%
65 to 74	8,498	13.1%
75 and over	5,836	9.0%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	52,623	81.1%
Black or African American	5,240	8.1%
American Indian & Alaska Native	104	0.2%
Asian	342	0.5%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	31	0.0%
Some other race	458	0.7%
Two or more races	2,519	3.9%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	3,533	5.4%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma13.4%

High school graduate31.1%

Some college or associate's34.8%

Bachelor's degree13.3%

Graduate or professional degree7.4%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	6,308	13.4%
High school graduate	14,630	31.1%
Some college or associate's	16,392	34.8%
Bachelor's degree	6,265	13.3%
Graduate or professional degree	3,470	7.4%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 26 min

Drove alone81.2%

Carpooled9.0%

Public transit0.1%

Walked1.3%

Bicycle0.1%

Worked from home6.7%

Other means1.5%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	21,377	81.2%
Carpooled	2,377	9.0%
Public transit	26	0.1%
Walked	346	1.3%
Bicycle	22	0.1%
Worked from home	1,775	6.7%
Other means	402	1.5%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	6,680	27.2%
15 to 29 min	9,097	37.1%
30 to 44 min	4,384	17.9%
45 to 59 min	1,925	7.8%
60+ min	2,464	10.0%

Households

Average household size: 2.39
Poverty rate: 17.6% (11,196 of 63,623)

	Count	Share
Family households	17,002	63.9%
Nonfamily households	9,587	36.1%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1980

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	26,589	81.4%
Vacant	6,093	18.6%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	19,699	74.1%
Renter-occupied	6,890	25.9%

1-unit, detached73.3%

1-unit, attached1.8%

2 to 4 units4.4%

5 to 19 units2.6%

20 or more units1.0%

Mobile home & other16.9%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	23,950	73.3%
1-unit, attached	594	1.8%
2 to 4 units	1,427	4.4%
5 to 19 units	841	2.6%
20 or more units	342	1.0%
Mobile home & other	5,528	16.9%

Geography

County GEOID: 37161
State: North Carolina
Land area: 565 sq mi
Water area: 1.81 sq mi
Center point: 35.4027, -81.9196