Population 17,680 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Avery County
Household size in Avery County
| Period | Avery County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.21 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.17 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.17 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.31 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.10 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Avery County are small: just 2.31 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. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.21, even as the national average fell.
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 Avery County
| Period | Avery County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.4 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.3 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.9 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.8 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.5 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 46.8, Avery 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 41.4 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Avery County
| Period | Avery County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.6% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.5% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.3% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.9 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.7% of households in Avery County, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 4.9 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other North Carolina county has a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Avery County
Renters in Avery County
| Period | Avery County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.2% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.5% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.8% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 17.0% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −10.2 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Avery County is largely a place of homeowners: only 17.0% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Nearly six in ten owners (56.3%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has fallen 10.2 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Avery County
| Period | Avery County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.8% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 36.9% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 42.3% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 42.2% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +4.4 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Avery County: 42.2% of homes are empty, 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. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 4.4 points, even as the national rate fell.
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 Avery County
| Period | Avery County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1976 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1981 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +7 | +6 |
Homes in Avery County are a bit newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1984, versus 1980 across the U.S. Even so, homes here are older than in North Carolina as a whole, where the median home dates to 1990. The median year built has moved up from 1976 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the northwest has the oldest housing.
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 Avery County
| Period | Avery County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $710 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $748 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $857 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $869 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$159 | +$528 | +$606 |
Rent in Avery County runs $869 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $159 a month since 2006–10, up 22%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 26.1% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the north and lowest 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 Avery County
Bachelor's degrees in Avery County
| Period | Avery County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.4% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.6% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.3% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.0% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Avery County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 25.0%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 4.6 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the southwest.
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 Avery County
| Period | Avery County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 81.0% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 80.8% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.3% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.4% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.5 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Avery County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 6.5 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Avery County
| Period | Avery County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Avery County than nationally: unemployment was 4.6%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.4 points, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Avery 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avery County | 2.31 | 46.8 | 5.7% | 17.0% | 42.2% | 1984 | $869 | 25.0% | 87.4% | 4.6% |
| Mitchell County | 2.21 | 48.1 | 7.5% | 23.7% | 22.7% | 1979 | $845 | 23.9% | 90.8% | 6.4% |
| Yancey County | 2.31 | 48.9 | 7.2% | 20.6% | 26.7% | 1988 | $880 | 25.1% | 90.5% | 7.1% |
| Unicoi County | 2.23 | 46.9 | 10.2% | 27.1% | 11.7% | 1975 | $824 | 20.8% | 86.9% | 4.5% |
| Wilkes County | 2.43 | 45.7 | 12.5% | 26.5% | 15.0% | 1979 | $728 | 16.7% | 81.6% | 5.5% |
| Greene County | 2.49 | 44.3 | 9.3% | 22.9% | 13.4% | 1983 | $763 | 19.5% | 88.3% | 5.9% |
| Cocke County | 2.39 | 44.3 | 15.3% | 25.5% | 13.1% | 1985 | $830 | 10.9% | 84.6% | 3.7% |
| Yadkin County | 2.51 | 44.8 | 9.4% | 23.1% | 13.6% | 1983 | $844 | 17.9% | 86.5% | 5.0% |
| Davie County | 2.61 | 44.3 | 8.4% | 17.8% | 10.8% | 1988 | $908 | 27.3% | 91.1% | 4.8% |
| Jefferson County | 2.56 | 45.0 | 10.1% | 24.2% | 13.2% | 1988 | $914 | 20.4% | 89.0% | 4.5% |
| Forsyth County | 2.43 | 39.7 | 12.8% | 36.4% | 9.7% | 1985 | $1,234 | 38.6% | 89.9% | 5.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Lewis County, NY · Lafayette County, WI · Rosebud County, MT · Hale County, AL · Gulf County, FL · Beaverhead County, MT · Lanier County, GA · Barton County, MO · Barnwell County, SC · Lemhi County, ID
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 Avery 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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