Boone

Population: 19,534
Median household income: $28,633
Median home value: $373,600

Boone, a community in Watauga County, North Carolina, has 19,534 residents. Its median household income of $28,633 runs below the Watauga County figure of $51,367.

From 2019 to 2023, Boone's population grew 2.2% from 19,119 to 19,534, while its median home value rose 39.4% from $268,100 to $373,600.

Owners occupy 23.7% of the area's occupied homes. The median resident is 21.5 years old.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 19,534
Median age: 21.5 yrs
Median household income: $28,633
Median home value: $373,600
Median gross rent: $1,080
Housing units: 6,691
Homeownership rate: 23.7%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 53.1%
Unemployment rate: 14.8%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

19,11919,534

Median household income

$22,434$28,633

Median home value

$268,100$373,600

Median gross rent

$900$1,080

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	19,119	$22,434	$268,100	$900
2020	19,466	$25,535	$279,400	$952
2021	18,055	$24,756	$272,500	$957
2022	19,368	$28,242	$322,200	$1,071
2023	19,534	$28,633	$373,600	$1,080

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

Age distribution

Under 51.4%

5 to 174.3%

18 to 2464.3%

25 to 349.1%

35 to 446.2%

45 to 543.4%

55 to 644.7%

65 to 743.0%

75 and over3.7%

	Count	Share
Under 5	278	1.4%
5 to 17	833	4.3%
18 to 24	12,558	64.3%
25 to 34	1,771	9.1%
35 to 44	1,203	6.2%
45 to 54	662	3.4%
55 to 64	920	4.7%
65 to 74	586	3.0%
75 and over	723	3.7%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	16,333	83.6%
Black or African American	618	3.2%
American Indian & Alaska Native	41	0.2%
Asian	393	2.0%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	11	0.1%
Two or more races	617	3.2%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1,521	7.8%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma7.1%

High school graduate17.9%

Some college or associate's22.0%

Bachelor's degree24.6%

Graduate or professional degree28.4%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	414	7.1%
High school graduate	1,050	17.9%
Some college or associate's	1,289	22.0%
Bachelor's degree	1,445	24.6%
Graduate or professional degree	1,667	28.4%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 15 min

Drove alone67.4%

Carpooled7.9%

Public transit2.6%

Walked10.7%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home10.4%

Other means1.0%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	5,441	67.4%
Carpooled	636	7.9%
Public transit	206	2.6%
Walked	865	10.7%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	841	10.4%
Other means	81	1.0%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	4,426	61.2%
15 to 29 min	1,791	24.8%
30 to 44 min	611	8.5%
45 to 59 min	199	2.8%
60+ min	202	2.8%

Households

Average household size: 2.34
Poverty rate: 52.1% (7,156 of 13,743)

	Count	Share
Family households	1,580	26.9%
Nonfamily households	4,294	73.1%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1984

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	5,874	87.8%
Vacant	817	12.2%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	1,395	23.7%
Renter-occupied	4,479	76.3%

1-unit, detached28.8%

1-unit, attached1.7%

2 to 4 units10.0%

5 to 19 units34.4%

20 or more units22.9%

Mobile home & other2.3%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	1,926	28.8%
1-unit, attached	114	1.7%
2 to 4 units	669	10.0%
5 to 19 units	2,299	34.4%
20 or more units	1,530	22.9%
Mobile home & other	153	2.3%

Geography

Place GEOID: 3707080
Type (LSAD): 43
Land area: 6.39 sq mi
Water area: 0.02 sq mi
Center point: 36.2138, -81.6652