Population 26,950 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Ashe County
Household size in Ashe County
| Period | Ashe County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.24 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.29 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.19 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.20 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.04 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Ashe County are small: just 2.20 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has edged down from 2.24 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Few North Carolina counties have smaller households: only eight of 100.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Ashe County
| Period | Ashe County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.4 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.2 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 48.7 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 49.6 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.2 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 49.6, Ashe County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 44.4 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Few North Carolina counties are older: only eight of 100.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Ashe County
| Period | Ashe County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.8% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.1% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.0% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Ashe County than nationally: 9.0%, against 11.6%. Ashe County has a lower share of single-parent households than most North Carolina counties.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Ashe County
Renters in Ashe County
| Period | Ashe County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.8% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.3% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.1% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 20.6% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 20.6% of households in Ashe County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About half of owners (50.7%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the south.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Ashe County
| Period | Ashe County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.2% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 31.8% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 31.1% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.3% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 27.3% of the housing in Ashe County, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Of North Carolina's 100 counties, only seven have a higher vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Ashe County
| Period | Ashe County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1978 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1982 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1983 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +7 | +6 |
Homes in Ashe County are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1983, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are older than in North Carolina overall, where the median home dates to 1990. The median year built has moved up from 1978 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the northwest.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Ashe County
| Period | Ashe County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $556 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $642 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $688 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $894 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$338 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in Ashe County pays $894 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $338 a month since 2006–10, up 61%, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 29.2% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northeast; the highest are in the southwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Ashe County
Bachelor's degrees in Ashe County
| Period | Ashe County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.6% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.6% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.6% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.0% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.4 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than a quarter of adults 25 and older in Ashe County (27.0%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 9.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the north.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Ashe County
| Period | Ashe County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.7% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 80.9% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.2% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.1% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +11.4 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Ashe County have finished high school as nationally: 89.1%, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 11.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Ashe County
| Period | Ashe County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.1% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.5% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.5 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Ashe County than nationally: unemployment was 4.5%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 5.5 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Ashe County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashe County | 2.20 | 49.6 | 9.0% | 20.6% | 27.3% | 1983 | $894 | 27.0% | 89.1% | 4.5% |
| Johnson County | 2.33 | 46.2 | 14.4% | 22.5% | 16.3% | 1982 | $741 | 17.4% | 83.0% | 3.8% |
| Alleghany County | 2.15 | 51.2 | 4.0% | 25.6% | 29.5% | 1980 | $721 | 22.2% | 83.7% | 4.1% |
| Carter County | 2.30 | 45.0 | 11.0% | 24.8% | 13.3% | 1976 | $755 | 21.1% | 89.9% | 6.1% |
| Surry County | 2.37 | 44.0 | 12.2% | 26.6% | 12.0% | 1979 | $760 | 20.3% | 83.8% | 4.1% |
| Sullivan County | 2.34 | 44.8 | 10.9% | 27.9% | 10.3% | 1976 | $911 | 27.3% | 90.2% | 5.2% |
| Washington County | 2.34 | 41.3 | 9.1% | 35.5% | 10.8% | 1984 | $1,008 | 34.9% | 91.3% | 4.7% |
| Stokes County | 2.33 | 47.5 | 7.9% | 20.8% | 9.6% | 1984 | $812 | 18.2% | 91.6% | 3.2% |
| Hawkins County | 2.46 | 46.1 | 12.6% | 19.9% | 13.3% | 1985 | $907 | 16.2% | 87.4% | 7.1% |
| Rockingham County | 2.36 | 44.3 | 12.0% | 27.9% | 11.1% | 1978 | $836 | 17.6% | 85.6% | 6.1% |
| Hancock County | 2.39 | 45.1 | 8.8% | 25.4% | 21.7% | 1984 | $619 | 11.0% | 76.9% | 7.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Emmet County, MI · Jefferson County, OR · Grant County, NM · Greene County, NC · Guayanilla Municipio, PR · Holmes County, MS · Humboldt County, NV · Inyo County, CA · Iroquois County, IL · Jackson County, OH
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Ashe County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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