Population 34,916 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Boone
Household size in Boone
| Period | Boone | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.00 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.28 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.30 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.36 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.37 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Boone is a place of small households, averaging 2.36 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has climbed from 2.00 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the north and smallest in the center.
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 Boone
| Period | Boone | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.1 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 29.5 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 31.0 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 28.9 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.2 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
Boone is young: half of its residents are under 28.9, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has dropped from 30.1 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people, only four are younger.
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 Boone
| Period | Boone | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.7% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.5% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.5% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.4% of households in Boone, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged up 0.7 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Only 22 of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people have 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 Boone
Renters in Boone
| Period | Boone | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 55.9% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 54.5% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 50.8% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 50.9% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.9 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Boone: 50.9% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 54.2% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 4.9 points, even as the national share rose. Of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people, only nine have a higher share of renters.
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 Boone
| Period | Boone | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.6% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.4% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 20.5% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.2% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 20.2% of the housing in Boone, 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. Vacancy is up 2.6 points from 2006–10, 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 Boone
| Period | Boone | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1982 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1985 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +7 | +6 |
The housing in Boone is a little younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1985, against 1980 nationally. 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 1980 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the west.
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 Boone
| Period | Boone | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $806 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $842 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $890 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,176 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$370 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in Boone pays $1,176 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $370 a month from 2006–10, a 46% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 42.2% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the east; the most affordable are in the north.
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 Boone
Bachelor's degrees in Boone
| Period | Boone | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.2% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 43.3% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 48.2% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 58.1% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.9 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Boone is highly educated: nearly six in ten adults 25 and older (58.1%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 10.9 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only 13 of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of college graduates.
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 Boone
| Period | Boone | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.0% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.4% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.8% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.0% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Boone is a bit above the national rate: 91.0% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of North Carolina. The share with a diploma has edged down 1.0 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate rose.
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 Boone
| Period | Boone | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 14.5% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.7% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.4% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.0 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Boone: 9.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people, only ten have higher unemployment. 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).
Boone compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boone | 2.36 | 28.9 | 5.4% | 50.9% | 20.2% | 1985 | $1,176 | 58.1% | 91.0% | 9.4% |
| Shulls Mill | 2.42 | 35.0 | 4.5% | 35.7% | 46.1% | 1983 | $1,097 | 56.4% | 93.5% | 10.5% |
| Blowing Rock | 2.18 | 48.4 | 10.6% | 25.3% | 48.6% | 1985 | $1,104 | 52.9% | 93.4% | 3.6% |
| Vilas | 2.05 | 44.7 | 8.2% | 23.7% | 28.5% | 1984 | $1,093 | 39.4% | 93.4% | 7.8% |
| Triplett | 2.42 | 47.4 | 5.9% | 22.9% | 53.5% | 1997 | $1,263 | 61.8% | 97.3% | 5.7% |
| Valle Crucis | 2.11 | 47.2 | 6.4% | 27.0% | 60.9% | 1986 | $1,052 | 48.9% | 95.6% | 5.8% |
| Finley | 2.31 | 48.9 | 13.5% | 30.2% | 44.2% | 1988 | $1,009 | 47.2% | 95.2% | 7.6% |
| Zionville | 2.33 | 49.2 | 2.9% | 16.4% | 25.2% | 1990 | $982 | 26.2% | 86.8% | 1.1% |
| Grassy Creek | 2.24 | 48.9 | 8.1% | 25.9% | 32.4% | 1985 | $722 | 20.7% | 92.0% | 5.8% |
| Deep Gap | 2.39 | 44.6 | 3.6% | 16.6% | 38.4% | 1994 | $1,184 | 34.3% | 93.0% | 4.1% |
| Todd | 2.23 | 46.1 | 17.1% | 10.2% | 33.9% | 1993 | $1,126 | 43.5% | 89.7% | 3.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Parkland, FL · Andover, MA · Mundelein, IL · Pueblo West, CO · Prior Lake, MN · Paramus, NJ · Pace, FL · Ossining, NY · Orangevale, CA · Ooltewah, TN
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 Boone. 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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